Components, liquid dispensing head, liquid dispensing unit, and liquid dispensing device

Abstract

The present invention provides a component equipped with a water-repellent film that is resistant to degradation by acids and alkalis and possesses good water repellency and liquid wiping properties, without using fluorine-based water repellents which have a high environmental impact, and a liquid dispensing head, liquid dispensing unit, and liquid dispensing device using the same. [Solution] A member 23 comprising a base material 10 and a water-repellent film 18 provided on the surface of the base material 10, the film having multiple types of water-repellent agents 12, 15 with different molecular structures on its surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a member, a liquid ejection head, a liquid ejection unit, and a liquid ejection device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a liquid ejection head employed in an inkjet type image forming apparatus is known. In such a liquid ejection head, droplets and mist adhere during image formation. Here, when droplets or mist adhere to the nozzles, it causes non-ejection of liquid or a bent flight direction. Therefore, a water repellent film may be provided on the parts of the head and the head constituent members that come into contact with the ejected liquid to easily wipe off the droplets and mist and keep the members normal. As this water repellent film, techniques using fluorine-based water repellents such as polyfluoropolyether (PFPE) and siloxane-based water repellents such as polydimethylsiloxane are known.

[0003] Also, for the purpose of forming a water repellent film with a high hardness and a small contact angle of a hydrophobic solvent, the general formula [(CH3)3C-R 1 2CHOO-Zr-O-](where R 1 is an alkylene group having 1 to 7 carbon atoms, and a plurality of R 1 may be the same or different) and a crosslinked structure is formed by Zr-O bonds is known (see, for example, "Patent Document 1").

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The water repellent used in conventional liquid ejection heads is a kind of organic fluorine compound (PFAS), and as of 2024, there are concerns about its high environmental burden such as non-degradability and ecological toxicity. And siloxane-based water repellents have problems that the water repellent itself is decomposed by acids or bases and the water repellency and the wiping property of the liquid are likely to decrease, and other water repellents have insufficient water repellency. The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a component having a water-repellent film that is resistant to decomposition by acids and alkalis and has good water repellency and liquid wiping properties, without using fluorine-based water repellents which have a high environmental impact, as well as a liquid dispensing head, liquid dispensing unit, and liquid dispensing device using the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The invention described in claim 1 is characterized by comprising a base material and a water-repellent film provided on the surface of the base material, the film having a plurality of water-repellent agents with different molecular structures on that surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a component having a water-repellent film that is resistant to decomposition by acids and alkalis and has good water repellency and liquid wiping properties, without using fluorine-based water repellents which have a high environmental impact. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a schematic exploded perspective view from the nozzle side of a liquid dispensing unit equipped with a liquid dispensing head to which one embodiment of the present invention can be applied. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view along the short direction of the liquid dispensing head of a liquid dispensing unit to which one embodiment of the present invention can be applied. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a water-repellent film structure to illustrate one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of a water-repellent film structure to illustrate one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a component comprising a substrate and a water-repellent film according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a component comprising a substrate, a water-repellent film, and an interlayer, showing a modified example of one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] A schematic front view of another liquid dispensing device equipped with a liquid dispensing head according to each embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a schematic plan view illustrating a unit of another device equipped with a head according to each embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a schematic plan view of yet another liquid dispensing device equipped with a liquid dispensing head according to each embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a schematic side view of yet another liquid dispensing device equipped with a liquid dispensing head according to each embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a schematic plan view illustrating a liquid discharge unit of yet another liquid discharge device equipped with a liquid discharge head according to each embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is a schematic front view illustrating another liquid dispensing unit of yet another liquid dispensing device equipped with a liquid droplet dispensing head according to each embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] A schematic front view of an electrode manufacturing apparatus, which is yet another liquid dispensing apparatus equipped with a liquid dispensing head according to each embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Figure 1 shows a schematic exploded perspective view of a liquid dispensing unit 100 to which one embodiment of the present invention can be applied, and Figure 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the liquid dispensing unit 100 along the short side of the liquid dispensing head. In the same figure, the liquid dispensing unit 100 includes a plurality of liquid dispensing heads 101 for dispensing liquid, a base member 102 for holding the plurality of liquid dispensing heads 101, and a cover member 103 which serves as a nozzle cover for the liquid dispensing heads 101. Furthermore, the liquid dispensing unit 100 includes a heat dissipation member 104, a manifold 105 that forms a flow path for supplying liquid to the plurality of liquid dispensing heads 101, a printed circuit board (PCB) 106 connected to a flexible wiring member 90 equipped with a driver IC 91 which is a drive circuit, and a module case 107.

[0009] The multiple liquid discharge heads 101 include a nozzle substrate 10 on which a nozzle 11 is formed, a flow path substrate 20 on which individual liquid chambers 21 which are pressure chambers leading to the nozzle 11 are formed, a diaphragm 30 including a piezoelectric element 40, a piezoelectric element holding substrate 50 laminated on the diaphragm 30, and a frame member 70 which is a common flow path member laminated on the piezoelectric element holding substrate 50. The nozzle substrate 10 uses a single-crystal silicon wafer as its substrate material, and the flow channel substrate 20, together with the individual liquid chambers 21, forms a supply-side individual flow channel 22 leading to the individual liquid chambers 21 and a recovery-side individual flow channel 24 leading to the individual liquid chambers 21. However, the nozzle substrate 10 is not limited to a silicon wafer and may be made of other materials such as stainless steel. The piezoelectric element holding substrate 50 uses a single-crystal silicon wafer as its substrate material, and has a supply-side intermediate individual channel 51 that connects to the supply-side individual channel 22 via an opening 31 of the diaphragm 30, and a recovery-side intermediate individual channel 52 that connects to the recovery-side individual channel 24 via an opening 32 of the diaphragm 30.

[0010] The piezoelectric element holding substrate 50 and the common flow path member 70 form a supply-side common flow path 71 that leads to the supply-side intermediate individual flow path 51, and a recovery-side common flow path 72 that leads to the recovery-side intermediate individual flow path 52. The supply-side common flow path 71 leads to the supply port 81 via the flow path 151 of the manifold 105, and the recovery-side common flow path 72 leads to the recovery port 82 via the flow path 152 of the manifold 105. The printed circuit board 106 and the piezoelectric element 40 are connected via a flexible wiring member 90, on which a driver IC 91 is mounted.

[0011] In this embodiment, multiple liquid discharge heads 101 are attached to a base member 102 at predetermined intervals. The liquid discharge heads 101 are attached to the base member 102 by inserting them into openings 121 provided in the base member 102, and then joining and fixing the peripheral edge of the nozzle substrate 10 constituting the liquid discharge head 101 to a cover member 103 which is joined and fixed to the base member 102. Further, a flange portion (not shown) provided outside the common flow path member 70 of the liquid ejection head 101 is joined and fixed to the base member 102. Note that the fixing structure between the liquid ejection head 101 and the base member 102 is not limited to the above-described configuration, and any configuration such as adhesion, caulking, screw fixing, etc. may be adopted.

[0012] In the present embodiment, the base member 102 is preferably formed of a material having a low coefficient of linear expansion. Examples of the material having a low coefficient of linear expansion include 42alloy (alloy) obtained by adding nickel to iron, an Invar material, etc. In the present embodiment, an Invar material is used. With this configuration, even when the liquid ejection head 101 generates heat and the temperature of the base member 102 rises, the amount of expansion of the base member 102 is small, so that displacement of the nozzle from a predetermined nozzle position hardly occurs, and generation of displacement of the landing position of the liquid can be suppressed. Similarly, the nozzle substrate 10, the flow path substrate 20, and the diaphragm 30 are each formed of a single crystal silicon substrate, and the coefficient of linear expansion is made substantially the same as that of the base member 102. Thereby, generation of nozzle displacement due to thermal expansion can be reduced.

[0013] In the liquid ejection unit 100 having the above-described configuration, when ink in the form of droplets or mist, which is the liquid ejected from the nozzle 11 during image formation, adheres to the nozzle substrate 10, it causes non-ejection of the ink or a bent flight direction as described in the "Background Art" section. To prevent this, a water-repellent film is provided on the nozzle substrate 10, which is a portion where the ink comes into contact in the liquid ejection unit 100, in order to easily wipe off droplets and mist and keep the nozzle substrate 10 normal. However, it has been difficult to obtain good water repellency and wiping properties with a conventional water-repellent film without increasing the environmental load. Hereinafter, the configuration of the present invention for solving the above-described problems will be described.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an example of the structure of a water-repellent film for explaining an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a water-repellent film 13 having a plurality of first water-repellent agents 12 having CH3 groups at their ends is provided on the surface of the nozzle substrate 10, which is a base material. When using the first water repellent 12, which has a bulky structure due to a branched structure having two or more CH3 group terminals, gaps 14 occur even when saturated adsorption is achieved. Due to these gaps 14, the first water repellent 12 changes to an optimal orientation state according to the presence of liquid, and a water repellent film 13 having a small receding contact angle and high liquid wiping property is formed. However, since gaps 14 exist in the water repellent film 13, there is room for achieving an even higher static contact angle. In the liquid ejection head 101, it is necessary to ensure the difficulty of wetting spread of the attached liquid, so it is required that the static contact angle be as high as possible.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the structure of a water repellent film for explaining an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a water repellent film 16 having a plurality of linear second water repellents 15 having CH3 groups at their terminals is provided on the surface of the nozzle substrate 10. If only the second water repellent 15, which has a linear structure and a smaller bulk than the first water repellent 12 because the number of CH3 group terminals is less than or equal to that of the first water repellent 12, is used, the gaps 17 become smaller. As a result, it becomes difficult to achieve an optimal orientation state of the water repellent chains according to the movement of the liquid, and the receding contact angle becomes smaller. As a result, the actually attached droplets and ink droplets are pin-fixed without sliding off, and rather the liquid wiping property deteriorates.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a water repellent film according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a water repellent film 18 formed by mixing at least two (three in this example) of the first water repellents 12 and at least one (two in this example) of the second water repellents 15 is provided on the surface of the nozzle substrate 10. Also, the first water repellent 12 and the second water repellent 15 have different areas or volumes occupied by their molecules. In view of the above circumstances, in the present embodiment, the first water repellent 12 and the second water repellent 15 are mixed and formed into a film to form the water repellent film 18, filling the gaps 14 that occur when forming a film only with the first water repellent 12, while leaving gaps smaller than the CH3 groups, thereby forming a water repellent film 18 having both good water repellency and liquid wiping property. Then, the member 19 is constituted by the nozzle substrate 10 and the water repellent film 18.

[0017] With the above configuration, by mixing a first water-repellent agent 12 having a large number of branched structures and high bulkiness with a second water-repellent agent 15 having a linear structure and being less bulky than the first water-repellent agent 12 and forming a film, a water-repellent film 18 is obtained in which the gaps 14 that occur when the first water-repellent agent 12 is formed alone are filled, and CH3 groups, which are functional groups with low surface free energy, are densely packed. By arranging such a water-repellent film 18 on the surface of the nozzle substrate 10 to form the component 19, it is possible to provide a component 19 equipped with a water-repellent film 18 that is resistant to decomposition by acids and alkalis and has good water repellency and liquid wiping properties, without using fluorine-based water repellents which have a high environmental impact.

[0018] Furthermore, in the configuration of the present invention, both the first water-repellent agent 12 and the second water-repellent agent 15 have a structure in which the main skeleton other than the terminals is composed of carbon. Therefore, the water-repellent chains of hydrocarbons, higher alcohols, fatty acid derivatives, etc., are composed of carbon bonds. For this reason, acid resistance and alkali resistance are improved compared to siloxane-based water-repellent agents, and the penetration of acids and alkalis is reduced, so good water repellency and liquid wiping ability can be maintained for a long period of time.

[0019] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a modified example of one embodiment of the present invention, specifically member 23. Compared to member 19 shown in Figure 5, member 23 differs in that it has an interlayer 25 on the surface of the nozzle substrate 10, but the other configurations are the same. If the first water-repellent agent 12 and the second water-repellent agent 15 have molecular skeletons other than the terminals composed mainly of carbon, such as hydrocarbons, higher alcohols, and fatty acid derivatives, the decomposition of the water-repellent agents themselves in the presence of acids and alkalis can be suppressed. Therefore, water repellency can be maintained even in acidic or basic atmospheres, preventing liquid from penetrating the surface of the component. Consequently, an intermediate film 25 with low acid and alkali resistance, such as silicon dioxide (SiO2), can be used, improving the adhesion between the water-repellent film 18 and the nozzle substrate 10. As a result, a component 23 with high acid and alkali resistance can be provided without using a fluorine-based water repellent.

[0020] Next, a liquid dispensing device equipped with each of the liquid dispensing heads 101 described above will be explained. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the printing apparatus 500, which is a liquid ejection device, includes an incoming means 501 for loading the continuous body 510, which is the recording medium, and a guiding and transporting means 503 for guiding and transporting the continuous body 510 loaded by the incoming means 501 toward the printing means 505. The printing apparatus 500 also includes a printing means 505 that performs a printing operation to form an image by ejecting liquid onto the continuous body 510, a drying means 507 for drying the continuous body 510 to which the liquid has adhered, and an outgoing means 509 for outgoing the continuous body 510. The continuous material 510 is fed out from the main winding roller 511 of the loading means 501, guided and transported by rollers of the loading means 501, the guiding and transporting means 503, the drying means 507, and the unloading means 509, and then wound onto the winding roller 591 of the unloading means 509. In the printing means 505, the continuous material 510 is transported on the transport guide member 559 facing the head unit 550, which is a liquid discharge unit, and an image is printed by the liquid discharged from the head unit 550.

[0021] The printing apparatus 500 is equipped with liquid ejection units 100A and 100B similar to the liquid ejection unit 100 described above in the head unit 550, and each liquid ejection unit 100A and 100B is mounted on a common base member 552. Each liquid dispensing unit 100A and 100B, when the direction in which the liquid dispensing heads 101 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the continuous material conveying direction is defined as the head arrangement direction, will dispense liquid of the same color using the head row pairs 101A1 and 101A2 of liquid dispensing unit 100A. Similarly, the head row pairs 101B1 and 101B2 of liquid dispensing unit 100A, the head row pairs 101C1 and 101C2 of liquid dispensing unit 100B, and the head row pairs 101D1 and 101D2 of liquid dispensing unit 100B will dispense liquid of the desired color, respectively.

[0022] Next, another example of a printing apparatus that is a liquid ejection device according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. The printing apparatus 400, as a liquid ejection device, is a serial type printing apparatus, and the carriage 403 reciprocates in the main scanning direction by the main scanning movement mechanism 493. The main scanning movement mechanism 493 includes a guide member 401, a main scanning motor 405, a timing belt 408, etc. The guide member 401 is stretched across the left and right side plates 491A and 491B, and holds the carriage 403 in a movable position. The carriage 403 reciprocates in the main scanning direction by receiving the driving force of the main scanning motor 405 via the timing belt 408 stretched between the drive pulley 406 and the driven pulley 407.

[0023] The carriage 403 is equipped with a liquid discharge unit 440 which integrally includes a liquid discharge head 101 and a head tank 441. Here, the liquid discharge head 101 discharges liquids of various colors, such as yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (K). The liquid discharge head 101 is mounted with a nozzle row consisting of multiple nozzles arranged in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, and with the liquid discharge direction facing downwards. The liquid discharge head 101 is connected to a liquid circulation device (not shown), and the liquid of the desired color is circulated and supplied to the liquid discharge head 101.

[0024] The printing apparatus 400 is equipped with a transport mechanism 495 for transporting the paper 410, which is the recording medium. The transport mechanism 495 has a transport belt 412, which is a transport means, and a sub-scanning motor 416 that drives the transport belt 412. The transport belt 412, which is an endless belt, is stretched between a transport roller 413 and a tension roller 414, and is used to pick up the paper 410 and transport it to a position facing the liquid discharge head 101. Pickup is performed by electrostatic attraction or air suction, etc. The transport belt 412 is moved in a circular motion in the sub-scanning direction by the driving force of the sub-scanning motor 416 being transmitted via a timing belt 417 and a timing pulley 418.

[0025] A maintenance and recovery mechanism 420 for maintaining and restoring the liquid discharge head 101 is positioned on one side of the carriage 403 in the main scanning direction and to the side of the conveyor belt 412. The maintenance and recovery mechanism 420 consists of, for example, a cap member 421 that caps the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head 101, a wiper member 422 that wipes the nozzle surface, and so on. The main scanning movement mechanism 493, the maintenance and recovery mechanism 420, and the conveyor mechanism 495 are mounted on a housing that includes side plates 491A, 491B, and a back plate 491C. In the printing apparatus 400 with the above configuration, the paper 410 is held in place by the transport belt 412, and the paper 410 is transported in the sub-scanning direction by the circular movement of the transport belt 412. At this time, the carriage 403 is moved in the main scanning direction, and the liquid ejection head 101 is driven in accordance with the image signal, thereby ejecting liquid onto the stationary paper 410 to form an image.

[0026] Next, the liquid dispensing unit 440 described above will be explained based on Figure 11. The liquid ejection unit 440 is composed of a housing portion consisting of side plates 491A, 491B and a back plate 491C, which are components of the printing device 400, which is a liquid ejection device, as well as a main scanning movement mechanism 493, a carriage 403, a liquid ejection head 101, and the like. Furthermore, it is also possible to configure a liquid dispensing unit in which the maintenance and recovery mechanism 420 described above is further attached to, for example, the side plate 491B of the liquid dispensing unit 440.

[0027] Next, another example of a liquid dispensing unit according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 12. The liquid discharge unit 450 shown in Figure 12 has a liquid discharge head 101 to which a flow path component 444 is attached, and a tube 456 connected to the flow path component 444. The flow path component 444 is located inside a cover 442, and a connector 443 for electrical connection to the liquid discharge head 101 is provided on the upper part of the flow path component 444. A configuration including a head tank 441 instead of the flow path component 444 is also possible. In the liquid ejection units 100, 100A, 100B, 440, 450, 550, and the printing devices 400, 500, which are liquid ejection devices, the same effects and benefits as those of the liquid ejection head 101 described above can be obtained.

[0028] In the present invention, the liquid used is not particularly limited as long as it has a viscosity and surface tension that can be dispensed from the head, but it is preferable that its viscosity becomes 30 mPa·s or less at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, or upon heating and cooling. More specifically, this includes solvents such as water and organic solvents, colorants such as dyes and pigments, polymerizable compounds, resins, functional materials such as surfactants, biocompatible materials such as DNA, amino acids and proteins, and calcium, edible materials such as natural pigments, and solutions, suspensions, and emulsions containing these. These can be used, for example, in inkjet inks, surface treatment liquids, and three-dimensional molding material liquids. The energy source for discharging liquid includes piezoelectric actuators (multilayer piezoelectric elements and thin-film piezoelectric elements), thermal actuators using electrothermal conversion elements such as heating resistors, and electrostatic actuators consisting of a diaphragm and a counter electrode.

[0029] The "liquid discharge head" is not limited to any particular pressure generating means. For example, in addition to the piezoelectric actuator described above (which may use a multilayer piezoelectric element), it may also use a thermal actuator that uses an electrothermal conversion element such as a heating resistor, or an electrostatic actuator consisting of a diaphragm and a counter electrode. A "liquid discharge unit" is a liquid discharge head with integrated functional components and mechanisms, and includes an assembly of parts related to liquid discharge. For example, a "liquid discharge unit" may include a combination of a liquid discharge head with at least one of the following components: a head tank, carriage, supply mechanism, maintenance and recovery mechanism, main scanning movement mechanism, and liquid circulation device. Here, integration includes, for example, cases where a liquid dispensing head and a functional component or mechanism are fixed to each other by fastening, bonding, engaging, etc., or where one is held movably relative to the other. Furthermore, the liquid dispensing head and the functional component or mechanism may be detachable from each other.

[0030] Liquid dispensing units can be configured with an integrated liquid dispensing head and head tank, or with the two integrated by being connected to each other via tubing or similar means. It is also possible to add a unit containing a filter between the liquid dispensing head and head tank of these liquid dispensing units. Furthermore, liquid dispensing units include those in which the liquid dispensing head and carriage are integrated, and those in which the liquid dispensing head, carriage, and main scanning movement mechanism are integrated. In addition, liquid dispensing units also include those in which the liquid dispensing head is movably held by a guide member that constitutes part of the main scanning movement mechanism, and the liquid dispensing head and main scanning movement mechanism are integrated.

[0031] Some liquid discharge units integrate the liquid discharge head, carriage, and maintenance / recovery mechanism by fixing a cap component, which is part of the maintenance / recovery mechanism, to a carriage to which the liquid discharge head is attached. Other liquid discharge units integrate the liquid discharge head and supply mechanism by connecting a tube to a liquid discharge head to which a head tank or flow path component is attached. Liquid from a liquid storage source is supplied to the liquid discharge head via this tube. The main scanning movement mechanism shall include the guide member alone. The supply mechanism shall include the tube alone and the loading section alone.

[0032] In this invention, the liquid discharge unit is described in combination with a liquid discharge head, but the liquid discharge unit also includes a head module or head unit that includes the liquid discharge head described above, as well as a unit in which the functional components and mechanisms described above are integrated. Liquid dispensing devices include those equipped with a liquid dispensing head, liquid dispensing unit, head module, head unit, etc., which drive the liquid dispensing head to dispense liquid. Liquid dispensing devices include not only those capable of dispensing liquid onto surfaces to which liquid can adhere, but also those capable of dispensing liquid into gases or liquids.

[0033] Liquid dispensing equipment can also include means for supplying, conveying, and discharging materials to which liquid can adhere, as well as other pre-treatment and post-treatment devices. Examples of liquid ejection devices include image forming devices that eject ink to form an image on a recording medium, and three-dimensional molding devices that eject molding liquid onto a powder layer formed in layers to create three-dimensional objects. Furthermore, liquid dispensing devices are not limited to those that visualize meaningful images such as letters or figures through the dispensed liquid. For example, they also include devices that form patterns that do not have meaning in themselves, or devices that create three-dimensional images.

[0034] The above-mentioned objects to which liquids can adhere refer to objects to which liquids can adhere, at least temporarily, including those that adhere and solidify or adhere and penetrate. Specific examples include recording media such as paper, film, and cloth; electronic components such as electronic circuit boards and piezoelectric elements; powder layers; organ models; and inspection cells. Unless otherwise specified, it includes all objects to which liquids can adhere. The material to which the liquid can adhere may be any material, such as paper, thread, fibers, fabric, leather, metal, plastic, glass, wood, or ceramics, as long as the liquid can adhere to it, even temporarily.

[0035] A liquid dispensing device includes a configuration in which a liquid dispensing head and an object to which the liquid can adhere move relative to each other, but the object that moves is not limited to either one or the other. Specific examples include serial type devices in which the liquid dispensing head moves, and line type devices in which the liquid dispensing head does not move. Other examples of liquid dispensing devices include processing liquid coating devices that dispense processing liquid onto the surface of paper for purposes such as modifying the surface of the paper, and injection granulation devices that granulate fine particles of raw materials by spraying a compositional liquid, in which raw materials are dispersed in a solution, through a nozzle.

[0036] The liquid dispensing apparatus of the present invention also includes apparatus for manufacturing electrodes and electrochemical elements. The electrode manufacturing apparatus will be described below. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an electrode manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. The electrode manufacturing apparatus 700 is an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode including a layer having an electrode material by discharging a liquid composition using a liquid discharging unit including a liquid discharging head. First, the means and process for forming the layer containing the electrode material will be described. The liquid discharge means provided in the electrode manufacturing apparatus 700 shown in Figure 13 is the liquid discharge unit of the present invention described above. A liquid composition is discharged from the liquid discharge head of the liquid discharge unit, thereby applying the liquid composition to the target object and forming a liquid composition layer. The target object (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "discharge target object") is not particularly limited as long as it is an object on which a layer containing electrode material is formed, and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. Examples of target objects include an electrode substrate (current collector), an active material layer, a layer containing solid electrode material, etc. The target object may also be an electrode composite layer containing active material on an electrode substrate. Furthermore, the discharge means and discharge process may be means and processes for forming a layer containing electrode material by directly discharging the liquid composition, as long as it is possible to form a layer containing electrode material on the discharge target object. Moreover, the discharge means and discharge process may be means and processes for forming a layer containing electrode material by indirectly discharging the liquid composition.

[0037] Next, we will describe the other components and processes. Other components included in the electrode composite layer manufacturing apparatus are not particularly limited as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. Similarly, other steps included in the electrode composite layer manufacturing method are not particularly limited as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. For example, components and steps included in the electrode composite layer manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method include heating means and heating steps.

[0038] Next, the heating means and heating process described above will be explained. The heating means included in the electrode composite layer manufacturing apparatus is a means for heating the liquid composition discharged by the discharge means. Furthermore, the heating step included in the electrode composite layer manufacturing method is a step for heating the liquid composition discharged in the discharge step. By heating the liquid composition, it can be dried.

[0039] Next, a configuration for forming a layer containing electrode material by direct discharge of a liquid composition will be described. Here, as an example of an electrode manufacturing apparatus that forms a layer containing electrode material, an electrode manufacturing apparatus that forms an electrode composite layer containing active material on an electrode substrate (current collector) will be described. As shown in Figure 13, the electrode manufacturing apparatus 700 includes a discharge process section 110 which includes a step of applying a liquid composition onto a printing substrate 704 having an object to be discharged to form a liquid composition layer, and a heating process section 130 which includes a heating step of heating the liquid composition to obtain an electrode composite layer.

[0040] The electrode manufacturing apparatus 700 is equipped with a transport means 705 for transporting the printing substrate 704, and the transport means 705 transports the printing substrate 704 at a preset speed in the order of the discharge process section 110 and the heating process section 130. There are no particular restrictions on the method for manufacturing the printing substrate 704 having an object to be discharged, such as an active material layer, and well-known methods can be appropriately selected. The discharge process section 110 is equipped with a liquid discharge head 281a for realizing a liquid composition application process for applying a liquid composition onto the printing substrate 704, a storage container 281b for containing the liquid composition 707, a supply tube 281c for supplying the liquid composition 707 in the storage container 281b to the liquid discharge head 281a, and the like.

[0041] In the discharge process section 110, the liquid composition 707 is discharged from the liquid discharge head 281a, and the liquid composition 707 is applied to the printing substrate 704 to form a thin film layer of the liquid composition. The containment container 281b may be integrated with the electrode composite layer manufacturing apparatus, or it may be detachable from the electrode composite layer manufacturing apparatus. Alternatively, the containment container 281b may be a container used for adding to a containment container integrated with the electrode composite layer manufacturing apparatus, or a containment container detachable from the electrode composite layer manufacturing apparatus. The containment container 281b and the supply tube 281c can be arbitrarily selected as long as they are capable of stably containing and supplying the liquid composition 707.

[0042] In the heating section 130, a solvent removal step is performed to remove any solvent remaining in the liquid composition layer by heating. Specifically, the solvent remaining in the liquid composition layer is removed from the liquid composition layer by drying it with heating by the heating device 703 provided in the heating section 130, thereby forming the electrode composite layer. Furthermore, the solvent removal step in the heating section 130 may be performed under reduced pressure. There are no particular restrictions on the heating device 703, and it can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. For example, the heating device 703 can be a substrate heater, an IR heater, a hot air heater, etc. The heating device 703 may also be a combination of at least two of the substrate heater, IR heater, and hot air heater. The heating temperature and heating time can be appropriately selected according to the boiling point of the solvent contained in the liquid composition 707 or the film thickness to be formed.

[0043] In the electrode manufacturing apparatus 700, the same type of liquid discharge head 281a as the liquid discharge head 101 described above is used. By using the electrode manufacturing apparatus 700 according to an embodiment of the present invention, a liquid composition can be discharged to a target position on the object to be discharged. The electrode mixture layer can be suitably used, for example, as part of the configuration of an electrochemical element. There are no particular restrictions on the components of the electrochemical element other than the electrode mixture layer, and well-known components can be appropriately selected. Examples of components other than the electrode mixture layer include a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator, etc.

[0044] Examples of the present invention are as follows: [1] A component comprising a base material and a water-repellent film provided on the surface of the base material, the film having multiple types of water-repellent agents with different molecular structures. [2] The component described in [1] is characterized in that the multiple types of water repellents have different areas or volumes occupied by their molecules. [3] The multiple types of water repellents are the members described in [1] or [2], characterized in that they differ in the number of CH3 groups, the number of branches, or the molecular weight. [4] The member according to any one of [1] to [3], characterized in that the plurality of water-repellent agents comprises a first water-repellent agent and a second water-repellent agent which is smaller in volume than the first water-repellent agent. [5] The member according to [4], characterized in that the first water repellent has two or more CH3 group terminals, and the number of CH3 group terminals of the second water repellent is less than or equal to the number of CH3 group terminals of the first water repellent. [6] The member according to [4] or [5], characterized in that the first water repellent and the second water repellent consist of molecules in which the main skeleton other than the terminals is composed of carbon. [7] The member according to any one of [1] to [6], characterized in that it has an intermediate film between the substrate and the water-repellent film that improves the adhesion between the substrate and the water-repellent film. A liquid dispensing head characterized by having one of the components described in [8], [1], or [7]. A liquid dispensing unit characterized by having a component described in any one of [9][1] to [7]. A liquid dispensing device characterized by having one of the components described in

[10] , [1], or [7].

[0045] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the spirit of the invention as described in the claims, unless otherwise specifically limited in the above description. The effects described in the embodiments of the present invention are merely illustrative of the most preferred effects that may arise from the present invention, and the effects of the present invention are not limited to those described in the embodiments. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0046] 10. Substrate (Nozzle Substrate) 12. First water repellent 15. Second water repellent 18 Water-repellent film 19,23 Components 25 Interlayer 100, 100A, 100B, 440, 450, 550 Liquid Dispensing Unit 400,500 Liquid discharge device (printing device) 700 Liquid discharge device (electrode manufacturing device) [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0047] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-13926

Claims

1. A component comprising a base material and a water-repellent film provided on the surface of the base material, the film having multiple types of water-repellent agents with different molecular structures.

2. In the member described in claim 1, The aforementioned multiple types of water-repellent agents are characterized by having different areas or volumes occupied by their molecules.

3. In the member described in claim 1, The aforementioned multiple types of water-repellent agents are CH ３ A component characterized by having a different number of groups, branching numbers, or molecular weight.

4. In the member described in claim 2, The aforementioned multiple types of water-repellent agents are CH ３ A component characterized by having a different number of groups, branching numbers, or molecular weight.

5. In the member described in claim 1, The member is characterized in that the plurality of water-repellent agents comprises a first water-repellent agent and a second water-repellent agent which has a smaller volume than the first water-repellent agent.

6. In the member described in claim 5, The first water repellent consists of two or more CH ３ Having a base terminus, the second water repellent has CH ３ The number of CH groups at the end of the first water repellent is ３ A component characterized by having a number of base terminals that is less than or equal to the number of base terminals.

7. In the member according to claim 5 or 6, The first water-repellent agent and the second water-repellent agent are characterized by being composed of molecules whose main skeleton, excluding the terminals, is made of carbon.

8. In the member described in claim 7, A member characterized by having an intermediate film between the substrate and the water-repellent film to improve the adhesion between the substrate and the water-repellent film.

9. A liquid dispensing head characterized by having a component described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

10. A liquid dispensing head characterized by having the member described in claim 6.

11. A liquid dispensing head characterized by having the member described in claim 7.

12. A liquid dispensing head characterized by having the member described in claim 8.

13. A liquid dispensing unit characterized by having a component described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

14. A liquid dispensing device characterized by having a component described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

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