Liquid ejection apparatus and method for fixing liquid ejection head

Abstract

To provide a liquid jet device capable of fixing a liquid jet head to a holding member with a simple configuration, and a method for fixing a liquid jet head.SOLUTION: A liquid jet device includes a liquid jet head 1 for jetting a liquid, a holding member 2 for holding the liquid jet head, a fixing member 3 having a head part, an engagement part and a shaft part connecting the head part and the engagement part, and an elastic member 4 having a first opening to which the shaft part is inserted, in which one of the liquid jet head and the holding member has a second opening to which the shaft part is inserted, the other has a first engaged part engaged with the engagement part, and the liquid jet head and the holding member are fixed to each other by engaging the engagement part with the first engaged part so as to sandwich the first opening and the second opening between the head part and the engagement part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid ejection apparatus and a method for fixing a liquid ejection head. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, liquid ejecting apparatuses that eject liquid such as ink, such as inkjet printers, have been known.

[0003] The liquid ejecting device described in Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of head bodies that eject ink and a unit base that holds the plurality of head bodies. Each head body is fixed to the unit base by a plurality of screw members via a spacer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-149684 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the method of fixing the head body to the unit base with multiple screw members has the problem that it is not easy to install or replace the head body. For this reason, there is a demand for a liquid ejection device in which the head body can be easily fixed to the unit base. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the liquid ejection device disclosed herein comprises a liquid ejection head that ejects liquid, a holding member that holds the liquid ejection head, a fixing member having a head, an engagement portion, and a shaft portion that connects the head and the engagement portion, and an elastic member having a first opening through which the shaft portion is inserted, wherein one of the liquid ejection head and the holding member has a second opening through which the shaft portion is inserted, and the other has a first engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion, and the liquid ejection head and the holding member are fixed by engaging the engaging portion with the first engaged portion so that the first opening and the second opening are sandwiched between the head and the engaging portion.

[0007] One aspect of the method for fixing a liquid jet head disclosed herein is a method for fixing a liquid jet head to a holding member using a fixing member having a head, an engagement portion, and an axial portion connecting the head and the engagement portion, and an elastic member having a first opening through which the axial portion is inserted and abutting the head, wherein one of the liquid jet head and the holding member has a second opening through which the axial portion is inserted, and the other has a first engaged portion that engages with the engagement portion, and the liquid jet head is fixed to the holding member by engaging the engaging portion with the first engaged portion so that the first opening and the second opening are sandwiched between the head and the engagement portion while pressing the elastic member with the head. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a liquid ejecting apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the head unit of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part of the head unit of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] This corresponds to the cross section taken along line AA in Figure 3. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the liquid jet head shown in FIG. [Figure 7]6 is an enlarged view of a fixing member, an elastic member, a liquid jet head, and a holding member shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 8] 6 is an exploded perspective view of the fixing member, the elastic member, the liquid jet head, and the holding member shown in FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 9] 6 is a cross-sectional view of the fixing member, the elastic member, the liquid jet head, and the holding member shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 10] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the fixing member shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the elastic member shown in FIG. [Figure 12] 8 is a plan view of a first flange portion of the holder shown in FIG. 7. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the engaged member shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 14] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the engaged member shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 15] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the engaged member shown in FIG. [Figure 16] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating how an elastic member is fixed to a liquid jet head. [Figure 17] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating how an elastic member is fixed to a liquid jet head. [Figure 18] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating how the liquid jet head is fixed to a holding member. [Figure 19] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating how the liquid jet head is fixed to a holding member. [Figure 20] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating how the liquid jet head is fixed to a holding member. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a fixing member of a second embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a fixing member of a third embodiment. [Figure 23] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing an exploded state of a fixing member according to a third embodiment. [Figure 24] 10A and 10B are diagrams schematically illustrating a liquid jet head and a holding member according to a first modified example. [Figure 25] 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating the arrangement of a liquid jet head and a holding member according to the first embodiment. [Figure 26]10 is a diagram schematically illustrating an arrangement of a liquid jet head and a holding member according to a second modified example. FIG. [Figure 27] 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a liquid jet head and a holding member according to a third modified example. FIG. [Figure 28] 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a liquid jet head and a holding member according to a fourth modified example. FIG. [Figure 29] FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically illustrating a holding member of a fifth modified example. [Figure 30] 13 is a diagram schematically illustrating a fixing member and a liquid jet head according to a sixth modified example. FIG. [Figure 31] 31 is a plan view of a fixing member and a first flange portion of the liquid jet head shown in FIG. 30. FIG. [Figure 32] FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically illustrating an elastic member according to a seventh modified example. [Figure 33] FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically illustrating an elastic member according to an eighth modified example. [Figure 34] FIG. 13 is a plan view schematically showing a fixing member of a ninth modified example. [Figure 35] FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing a liquid ejecting apparatus according to a tenth modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, in each drawing, the dimensions and scale of each part are appropriately different from those of the actual parts. Furthermore, since the embodiments described below are preferred specific examples of the present invention, various technically preferable limitations are applied, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments unless otherwise specified in the following description to the effect that the present invention is limited.

[0010] In the following explanation, the mutually perpendicular X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis will be used as appropriate. Furthermore, a direction along the X-axis will be referred to as the X1 direction, and the direction opposite to the X1 direction will be referred to as the X2 direction. Similarly, a direction along the Y-axis will be referred to as the Y1 direction, and the direction opposite to the Y1 direction will be referred to as the Y2 direction. A direction along the Z-axis will be referred to as the Z1 direction, and the direction opposite to the Z1 direction will be referred to as the Z2 direction. Furthermore, viewing in the Z1 or Z2 direction is referred to as a "planar view." Furthermore, viewing a plane cut by a plane including the Z-axis from a direction perpendicular to the Z-axis is referred to as a "cross-sectional view." Furthermore, the direction along the Z-axis corresponds to the direction of gravity. The Z1 direction corresponds to "downward in the direction of gravity," and the Z2 direction corresponds to "upward in the direction of gravity."

[0011] 1. First embodiment 1-1. Overall configuration of the liquid ejection device 100 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a liquid ejection apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment. The liquid ejection apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 is an inkjet printing apparatus that ejects ink, which is an example of a "liquid," as droplets onto a medium PP. The liquid ejection apparatus 100 of this embodiment is a so-called line-type printing apparatus in which multiple nozzles that eject ink are distributed across the entire range of the medium PP in the width direction. The medium PP is typically printing paper, but any printing target made of any material, such as a resin film or fabric, can be used as the medium PP.

[0012] 1 includes a circulation mechanism 92, a control unit 93, a medium transport mechanism 94, and a head unit 10. The head unit 10 has a plurality of liquid jet heads 1. In addition, a liquid container 91 is installed in the liquid jet device 100.

[0013] The liquid container 91 is a liquid storage unit that stores ink. For example, the liquid container 91 may be a cartridge that is detachable from the liquid ejection device 100, a bag-shaped ink pack made of flexible film, or an ink tank that can be refilled with ink. Any type of ink may be stored in the liquid container 91. For example, the liquid container 91 may include a plurality of containers that store different types of ink.

[0014] The circulation mechanism 92 supplies the ink stored in the liquid container 91 to the liquid jet head 1. Specifically, the circulation mechanism 92 supplies the ink stored in the liquid container 91 to the liquid jet head 1, and also recovers ink discharged from the liquid jet head 1 and returns it to the liquid jet head 1. The circulation mechanism 92 includes, for example, a flow path for supplying ink to the liquid jet head 1, a flow path for recovering ink discharged from the liquid jet head 1, a sub-tank for storing the recovered ink, and a pump for transporting ink.

[0015] The control unit 93 is a control device that controls the operation of each element of the liquid ejection device 100. The control unit 93 includes, for example, a processing circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and a storage circuit such as a semiconductor memory. Various programs and data are stored in the storage circuit. The processing circuit executes the programs and uses the data as appropriate to realize various controls.

[0016] The medium transport mechanism 94 is controlled by the control unit 93 and transports the medium PP in the transport direction DM. The transport direction DM is, for example, the Y1 direction. The transport direction DM is not limited to the Y1 direction and may be another direction. The medium transport mechanism 94 includes a long transport roller along the X axis and a motor that rotates the transport roller. The medium transport mechanism 94 is not limited to a configuration using a transport roller, and may be configured, for example, to use a drum or endless belt that transports the medium PP while adsorbed to its outer peripheral surface by electrostatic force or the like.

[0017] The head unit 10 is a line head in which a plurality of liquid jet heads 1 are arranged along the X axis. The liquid jet heads 1 eject ink from each of a plurality of nozzles onto the medium PP under the control of a control unit 93. An image is formed on the surface of the medium PP by each liquid jet head 1 ejecting ink onto the medium PP in parallel with the transport of the medium PP by a medium transport mechanism 94.

[0018] 1-2. Head unit 10 Fig. 2 is a plan view of the head unit 10 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the head unit 10 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 corresponds to a cross section taken along line AA of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of Fig. 4.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the head unit 10 includes a plurality of liquid jet heads 1, a holding member 2, a plurality of fixing members 3, and a plurality of elastic members 4.

[0020] 1-2a. Holding member 2 The holding member 2 shown in FIG. 2 is a carriage that holds multiple liquid jet heads 1. The main body 21 is a long member that extends in the X1 direction. The material of the main body 21 is, for example, a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel, or a resin. When the head unit 10 forms a line head that is long in the X1 direction, as in this embodiment, it is preferable to use a highly rigid metal material for the main body 21 so that it does not deform even when holding multiple liquid jet heads 1.

[0021] The holding member 2 has a main body 21 and a plurality of engaged members 25. The main body 21 has a plurality of openings H2. The openings H2 are wall portions that form holes that penetrate the holding member 2. The plurality of openings H2 are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of liquid jet heads 1. The liquid jet heads 1 are held by the holding member 2 in a state where they are inserted into the respective openings H2. Note that in FIG. 2, some of the plurality of liquid jet heads 1 are not shown to make it easier to understand the openings H2.

[0022] 2, the openings H2 are divided into a first row L2a and a second row L2b, and are arranged in the X1 direction by row. The shape of the holding member 2 is point-symmetrical with respect to the center of the holding member 2 in a plan view. Although not shown, if the surface of the conveying drum that conveys the medium PP is curved, the surface of the holding member 2 that faces the curved surface will be slightly inclined relative to a plane having a normal line that is an imaginary line along the direction of gravity, i.e., a horizontal plane, so as to follow the curved surface. Similarly, the ejection surface S11 of each liquid ejection head 1, which will be described later, is slightly inclined relative to a plane having a normal line that is an imaginary line along the direction of gravity, i.e., a horizontal plane.

[0023] 3 and 5, a plurality of positioning pins 211 are provided on the main body 21. Two positioning pins 211 are provided for each liquid jet head 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the positioning pins 211 protrude from the main body 21 in the Z2 direction. The positioning pins 211 are used to position the liquid jet head 1 with respect to the holding member 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the positioning pins 211 are provided corresponding to positioning holes 1521 of the liquid jet head 1, which will be described later. Note that the positioning holes may be provided in the main body 21 of the holding member 2, and the positioning pins may be provided in the liquid jet head 1.

[0024] 5, the main body 21 has a recess 210. An engaged member 25 is disposed in the recess 210. The engaged member 25 is used to fix the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2. The engaged member 25 will be described in detail later.

[0025] 1-2c. Multiple elastic members 4 As shown in FIG. 2, two elastic members 4 are provided for each of the plurality of liquid jet heads 1. The elastic members 4 are, for example, elastic leaf springs. The elastic members 4 are used to fix the liquid jet heads 1 to the holding members 2. The material of the elastic members 4 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, a metal such as stainless steel or a nickel alloy. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the holding members 2 are not arranged to the sides of the elastic members 4, i.e., in the Y1 direction relative to the elastic members 4. The holding members 2 are located in the Z2 direction relative to the elastic members 4. The elastic members 4 will be described in detail later.

[0026] 1-2c. Multiple fixing members 3 2 to 5 are used to fix the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2. By using the fixing members 3, it is possible to easily fix the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2 without using multiple screws as in the conventional method. The fixing members 3 will be described in detail later.

[0027] 1-2d. Liquid jet head 1 3 to 5, the liquid jet head 1 has an ejection surface S11 on which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink are provided. As shown in Fig. 4, the liquid jet head 1 is held by a holding member 2 so that the ejection surface S11 is located furthest in the head unit 10 in the Z1 direction.

[0028] Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the liquid jet head 1 shown in Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 6, the liquid jet head 1 has an electrical connection portion 11, a flow path structure 12, a wiring substrate 13, a plurality of head chips 50, a fixing plate 14, and a holder 15. These elements are stacked and fastened together with a plurality of screws 19.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 6, the electrical connection unit 11 has a relay board 111, two connectors 112, and two covers 113. The relay board 111 is electrically connected to a plurality of head chips 50 via the wiring board 13. The relay board 111 is provided with a plurality of connection terminals and various wirings. The relay board 111 is, for example, a rigid board. The relay board 111 is placed on the wiring board 13 so that its plate surface is aligned in the Z1 direction.

[0030] A connector 112 is connected to the relay substrate 111. The connector 112 is used to electrically connect the liquid jet head 1 to the outside. The relay substrate 111 is sandwiched between and protected by two covers 113. One of the two covers 113 covers the surface of the relay substrate 111 facing in the Y1 direction, and the other covers the surface of the relay substrate 111 facing in the Y2 direction.

[0031] The flow path structure 12 is disposed in the Z1 direction relative to the electrical connection portion 11. The flow path structure 12 has a plurality of flow path substrates 121, 122, 125, 126, and 127. The plurality of flow path substrates 121, 122, 125, 126, and 127 are lined up in this order in the Z2 direction.

[0032] Flow path substrate 127 is provided with a plurality of flow path pipes 129 that protrude in the Z2 direction. Flow path pipes 129 are used for connection to tubes, etc. (not shown), that are connected to circulation mechanism 92 shown in FIG. 1. Flow path substrates 121, 122, 125, and 126 are formed with a plurality of through holes and recesses. The plurality of through holes and recesses form communicating flow paths S12 through which ink flows. Communicating flow path S12 includes a flow path that supplies ink supplied from circulation mechanism 92 shown in FIG. 1 to head chip 50 shown in FIG. 6, and a flow path that returns ink discharged from head chip 50 to circulation mechanism 92.

[0033] The number of flow path substrates included in the flow path structure 12 is not limited to 5, and may be 1 to 4, or 6 or more. The material of each of the flow path substrates 121, 122, 125, 126, and 127 is, for example, a metal such as stainless steel (SUS) or aluminum, a ceramic, or a resin such as polyparaphenylene benzobisoxazole or polypropylene.

[0034] A wiring board 13 is disposed between the flow path structures 12. In the illustrated example, the wiring board 13 is disposed between the flow path board 122 and the flow path board 125. The wiring board 13 is a mounting component for electrically connecting the relay board 111 and the plurality of head chips 50. The wiring board 13 is, for example, a rigid board. In addition, the wiring board 13 is provided with a connector 131, which is a connecting member connected to the relay board 111.

[0035] A plurality of head chips 50 are arranged in the Z1 direction relative to the flow path structure 12. Each head chip 50 includes a nozzle. Each head chip 50 also includes a mechanism for ejecting ink from the nozzle. Specifically, each head chip 50 has an actuator unit 51 and a wiring member 52.

[0036] The actuator unit 51 includes, for example, a nozzle plate having nozzles, a flow path member having flow paths communicating with the nozzles, a pressure chamber substrate having pressure chambers communicating with the flow paths, a vibration plate for changing the pressure in the pressure chambers, and a piezoelectric element for vibrating the vibration plate. The piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric body and an electrode. The electrode is electrically connected to the wiring member 52. The actuator unit 51 also forms a part of the ejection surface S11 on which the nozzles are provided.

[0037] The wiring member 52 has a drive circuit for driving the piezoelectric elements of the actuator unit 51. The wiring member 52 is, for example, a COF (Chip on Film). The wiring member 52 electrically connects the piezoelectric elements of the actuator unit 51 to the wiring board 13 of the wiring board 13. The piezoelectric elements of the actuator unit 51 are driven in response to a drive signal from the control unit 93 shown in FIG.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 6, the fixing plate 14 is a plate-like member for fixing a plurality of head chips 50 to the holder 15. The fixing plate 14 has openings formed therein that expose a plurality of nozzles of the head chip 50. The surface of the fixing plate 14 in the Z1 direction forms the bottom surface of the liquid jet head 1. This bottom surface forms a part of the ejection surface S11. The bottom surface of the fixing plate 14 and the bottom surface of the actuator unit 51 form the ejection surface S11. The fixing plate 14 is made of a material such as a metal, such as stainless steel.

[0039] The holder 15 is disposed in the Z1 direction relative to the flow path structure 12. The holder 15 has a predetermined thickness in the Z1 direction. The holder 15 holds the fixing plate 14 and a plurality of head chips 50. The material of the holder 15 is, for example, stainless steel. However, the material of the holder 15 may be a metal other than stainless steel, a resin, or the like.

[0040] Holder 15 has a base 151, a first flange 152a, and a second flange 152b. Base 151 is a plate-shaped portion along the XY plane, and a recess is formed in base 151 for accommodating head chip 50. Base 151 also has a through-hole that is continuous with the recess and penetrates in the Z1 direction, and wiring member 52 is inserted through the through-hole.

[0041] The first flange portion 152a is a portion that protrudes from the base portion 151 in the Y1 direction. The second flange portion 152b is a portion that protrudes from the base portion 151 in the Y2 direction. The first flange portion 152a and the second flange portion 152b are elongated with their longitudinal direction aligned with the X1 direction. The first flange portion 152a and the second flange portion 152b are used to fix the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2 described above.

[0042] 5, the first flange portion 152a has an opening 101 having a second opening 102, which will be described in detail later, and a pair of fixing holes 1522. The opening 101 is disposed between the pair of fixing holes 1522 in the X1 direction.

[0043] 6, the second flange portion 152b has an opening 101 having the second opening 102, a pair of positioning holes 1521, and a pair of fixing holes 1522. The opening 101 is disposed between the pair of fixing holes 1522 in the X1 direction. The pair of fixing holes 1522 are disposed between the pair of positioning pins 211 in the X1 direction. The positioning holes 1521 are provided corresponding to the positioning pins 211 shown in FIG. 3. The positioning pins 211 are inserted into the positioning holes 1521. By inserting the positioning pins 211 into the positioning holes 1521, it is possible to position the liquid jet head 1 with respect to the holding member 2 before fixing the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2.

[0044] In this embodiment, the fastening method using a screw with a spiral groove formed therein is not adopted to fasten the liquid jet head 1 and the holding member 2, and therefore the fixing holes 1522 are not used. However, as described above, by forming the fixing holes 1522 in the liquid jet head 1 through which the screws can be inserted, it is possible to adopt a fixing method using screws for a holding member with a thread groove formed therein that is different from that in this embodiment.

[0045] 1-3. Configuration for fixing the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2 Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the fixing member 3, the elastic member 4, the liquid jet head 1, and the holding member 2 shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the fixing member 3, the elastic member 4, the liquid jet head 1, and the holding member 2 shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the fixing member 3, the elastic member 4, the liquid jet head 1, and the holding member 2 shown in Fig. 5. Note that in Fig. 7 and subsequent figures, the fixing holes 1522 are omitted as appropriate.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the elastic member 4, the liquid jet head 1, and the holding member 2 are arranged in this order in the Z1 direction. The liquid jet head 1 is fixed to the holding member 2 by the fixing member 3. Specifically, the first flange portion 152a and the second flange portion 142b of the holder 15 of the liquid jet head 1 are fixed to the engaged member 25 of the holding member 2. Below, the fixing member 3, the elastic member 4, the liquid jet head 1, and the holding member 2, which are involved in fixing the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2, will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9 and also with reference to FIGS. 10 to 20, which will be described later. Note that the first flange portion 152a and the second flange portion 142b have the same configuration, and therefore, below, only the details related to the first flange portion 152a will be described as a representative, and a description of the details related to the second flange portion 142b will be omitted as appropriate.

[0047] Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the fixing member 3 shown in Fig. 7. The fixing member 3 shown in Fig. 10 is used to fix the liquid jet head 1 to the engaged member 25 of the holding member 2. The fixing member 3 is made of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel.

[0048] 10, the fixing member 3 has a head portion 31, an engaging portion 32, and a shaft portion 33. The shaft portion 33 connects the head portion 31 and the engaging portion 32.

[0049] In the example shown in Figures 7 and 8, the shape of the head 31 is substantially cylindrical, but it may also be, for example, prismatic. The shaft 33 is an elongated portion. The engagement portion 32 is also an elongated portion, and the longitudinal length of the engagement portion 32 is shorter than the longitudinal length of the shaft 33. The longitudinal direction of the shaft 33 and the longitudinal direction of the engagement portion 32 intersect. In the example shown, the longitudinal direction of the shaft 33 and the longitudinal direction of the engagement portion 32 are perpendicular to each other.

[0050] The head 31 is a portion that comes into contact with the elastic member 4. In this embodiment, the head 31 functions as an operating portion for rotating the fixing member 3 relative to the liquid jet head 1 within the XY plane when fixing the liquid jet head 1. The engaging portion 32 is a portion that engages with the holding member 2. In this embodiment, the engaging portion 32 is configured to be able to fit into both the first flange portion 152a and the engaged member 25. When the first flange portion 152a is fixed to the engaged member 25 as shown in FIG. 7 , the engaging portion 32 fits into the engaged member 25. More specifically, the fixing member 3 is fitted into the engaged member 25 with the elastic member 4 and the first flange portion 152a positioned between the head 31 and the engaging portion 32. The shaft portion 33 has a length that corresponds to the lengths of the elastic member 4 and the first flange portion 152a in the Z1 direction.

[0051] Fig. 11 is a plan view of the elastic member 4 shown in Fig. 7. The elastic member 4 shown in Fig. 11 is a spring member having elasticity. By providing the elastic member 4, it is possible to improve the stability of fixation when fixing the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2 or when using the liquid jet device 100, compared to when the elastic member 4 is not provided.

[0052] 7 to 9 and 11, the elastic member 4 is a long, flat leaf spring, and a portion of the elastic member 4 is bent. The elastic member 4 abuts against the head 31 of the fixing member 3 in a state in which the liquid jet head 1 is fixed to the holding member 2 by the fixing member 3.

[0053] The elastic member 4 has elasticity. The elastic member 4 has a base portion 41 and two spring portions 42. The base portion 41 is a portion located between the two spring portions 42. The spring portions 42 are elastically deformable along the Z axis.

[0054] The base 41 also has a first opening 401 through which the shaft 33 is inserted. The first opening 401 is a wall portion that forms a hole that penetrates the base 41 of the elastic member 4. As shown in FIG. 11 , the shape of the hole defined by the first opening 401 in a plan view is a shape that follows the longitudinal direction of the elastic member 4. The hole defined by the first opening 401 corresponds to the shaft 33 and the engaging portion 32 of the fixing member 3, and is formed so that the shaft 33 and the engaging portion 32 can be inserted therethrough. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , the shape of the elastic member 4 in a plan view corresponds to the shape of the first flange 152a in a plan view. The longitudinal length of the elastic member 4 is equal to or shorter than the longitudinal length of the first flange 152a.

[0055] Fig. 12 is a plan view of the first flange portion 152a of the holder 15 shown in Fig. 7. The first flange portion 152a shown in Fig. 10 is used to fix the holder 15 of the liquid jet head 1 to the engaged member 25.

[0056] 7 and 12, the first flange portion 152a of the liquid jet head 1 has an opening 101 through which the shaft portion 33 is inserted. The opening 101 has a second opening 102 and a second engaged portion 103.

[0057] The second opening 102 is a wall portion that forms a hole that penetrates the first flange portion 152a. As shown in Fig. 12, the shape of the hole defined by the second opening 102 in a plan view is a shape that follows the longitudinal direction of the first flange portion 152a. The hole defined by the second opening 102 corresponds to the shaft portion 33 and the engaging portion 32 of the fixing member 3, and is formed so that the shaft portion 33 and the engaging portion 32 can be inserted therethrough.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 7, the second engaged portion 103 is located in the Z2 direction relative to the second opening 102. The second engaged portion 103 is a wall portion that forms a groove that opens into the Z2-direction surface of the first flange portion 152a. The groove defined by the second engaged portion 103 and the hole defined by the second opening 102 are in communication. Also, as shown in FIG. 12, the groove defined by the second engaged portion 103 extends in the Y1 direction in a plan view and intersects with the hole defined by the second opening 102. In the illustrated example, the groove defined by the second engaged portion 103 is perpendicular to the hole defined by the second opening 102 in a plan view.

[0059] Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the engaged member 25 shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the engaged member 25 shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 15 is a plan view of the engaged member 25 shown in Fig. 7. The engaged member 25 shown in Figs. 13 to 15 is a member that engages with the engaging portion 32 of the fixing member 3. The material of the engaged member 25 is aluminum, for example. However, the material of the engaged member 25 may be a metal other than aluminum, or a resin.

[0060] As shown in Figures 7 and 9, the engaged member 25 is placed in the recess 210 of the main body 21. The Z1-direction surface of the main body 21 and the Z1-direction surface of the engaged member 25 are at the same position. Therefore, the Z1-direction surface of the main body 21 and the Z1-direction surface of the engaged member 25 form a substantially flat surface. As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the engaged member 25 has two screw openings 290 and an opening 201. The opening 201 is located between the two screw openings 290 in a plan view.

[0061] The two screw openings 290 are wall portions that form holes that penetrate the engaged member 25. A screw member 29 is inserted into each screw opening 290. The tip of the screw member 29 is inserted into a screw hole formed in the main body 21. Therefore, the engaged member 25, which is separate from the main body 21, is fixed to the main body 21 by the screw members 29. Therefore, the engaged member 25 is detachable from the main body 21. Because it is detachable, the engaged member 25 can be easily replaced if the engaged member 25 is scraped or ink adheres to the engaged member 25 due to repeated replacement of the liquid ejection head 1.

[0062] The opening 201 is a wall portion that forms a hole that penetrates the engaged member 25 in the Z1 direction. The opening 201 has a third opening 202, a first engaged portion 203, a fourth opening 204, a fifth opening 205, and a restricting portion 206.

[0063] 14, the third opening 202, the first engaged portion 203, the fourth opening 204, and the fifth opening 205 form part of a hole that penetrates the engaged member 25 in the Z1 direction. The third opening 202, the first engaged portion 203, the fourth opening 204, and the fifth opening 205 are aligned in this order in the Z1 direction. The holes formed by the third opening 202, the first engaged portion 203, the fourth opening 204, and the fifth opening 205 are in communication with each other.

[0064] 15, the shape of the hole defined by the third opening 202 in a plan view is a shape that follows the Y1 direction, which is the width direction of the engaged member 25. The hole defined by the third opening 202 corresponds to the shaft portion 33 and engaging portion 32 of the fixing member 3, and is formed so that the shaft portion 33 and engaging portion 32 can be inserted therethrough. In addition, the hole of the third opening 202 opens in the Z2 direction of the engaged member 25.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 13 , the first engaged portion 203 is also a groove formed in the engaged member 25. More specifically, the first engaged portion 203 is a groove formed on the surface of the third opening 202 opposite to the surface facing the second opening 102. The first engaged portion 203 engages with the engaging portion 32. As shown in FIG. 15 , the shape of the groove defined by the first engaged portion 203 in a plan view is a shape that follows the longitudinal direction of the engaged member 25. The groove defined by the first engaged portion 203 intersects with the hole defined by the third opening 202 in a plan view. In the illustrated example, the groove defined by the first engaged portion 203 is perpendicular to the hole defined by the third opening 202 in a plan view. Furthermore, the groove defined by the first engaged portion 203 corresponds to the engaging portion 32 of the fixing member 3 and is formed so that the engaging portion 32 can be inserted therethrough.

[0066] As shown in FIGS. 13 and 15 , the hole defined by the fourth opening 204 opens in the Y1 and Y2 directions of the engaged member 25. The length of the hole defined by the fourth opening 204 in the X1 direction is longer than the length of the first engaged portion 203 in the X1 direction. Furthermore, the hole defined by the fifth opening 205 opens in the Z1 direction of the engaged member 25 and also in the Y1 and Y2 directions of the engaged member 25. The length of the hole defined by the fifth opening 205 in the X1 direction is shorter than the length of the fourth opening 204 in the X1 direction. Note that the fourth opening 204 and the first engaged portion 203 may be collectively regarded as the “first engaged portion,” or the fifth opening 205, the fourth opening 204, and the first engaged portion 203 may be collectively regarded as the “first engaged portion.”

[0067] 13 and 15, the two restricting portions 206 are wall portions provided in the fourth opening 204. One of the two restricting portions 206 is located in the Y1 direction relative to the first engaged portion 203 in a plan view, and the other is located in the Y2 direction relative to the first engaged portion 203 in a plan view. The two restricting portions 206 are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center, in a plan view, of the groove defined by the first engaged portion 203. The restricting portion 206 restricts rotation of the engaging portion 32 of the fixing member 3 in the XY plane.

[0068] As described above, the liquid jet device 100 includes the liquid jet head 1, the holding member 2, the elastic member 4, and the fixing member 3. The liquid jet head 1 and the holding member 2 are fixed together by engaging the engaging portion 32 with the first engaged portion 203 so that the first opening 401 of the elastic member 4 and the second opening 102 of the liquid jet head 1 are sandwiched between the head 31 and the engaging portion 32 of the fixing member 3. This allows the liquid jet head 1 to be easily fixed to the holding member 2 without using multiple screws as in the conventional method. This allows the liquid jet head 1 to be easily attached and replaced.

[0069] Here, when multiple screws are used as in the conventional method, three tasks must be performed simultaneously: pressing the liquid jet head 1 against the holding member 2, holding the screws, and fastening the screws with a tool such as a screwdriver. In contrast, by using the fixing member 3, the liquid jet head 1 can be easily fixed to the holding member 2 by rotating the fixing member 3 in the XY plane while holding the liquid jet head 1. Therefore, the number of tasks is reduced compared to the conventional method, and the installation and replacement of the liquid jet head 1 can be easily performed.

[0070] Furthermore, the liquid ejection device 100 includes the elastic member 4. Therefore, the elastic force of the elastic member 4 allows the liquid ejection head 1 to be more stably fixed to the holding member 2 than in a case where the elastic member 4 is not included. Therefore, while conventional screw fastening makes it difficult to stabilize the liquid ejection head 1 over time due to loosening of the screws, fixation using the fixing member 3 allows the liquid ejection head 1 to be maintained in a stably fixed state for a long period of time. Furthermore, by using the fixing member 3 and the elastic member 4, the number of fixing points can be reduced, thereby significantly reducing the time required for the fixing work. Furthermore, because the fixing member 3 allows the liquid ejection head 1 to be easily fixed to the holding member 2, even when the liquid ejection head 1 is positioned below the holding member 2 in the gravitational direction, in other words, when the liquid ejection head 1 cannot be placed on the holding member 2, the liquid ejection head 1 can be fixed to the holding member 2 without dropping the liquid ejection head 1 or the fixing member 3.

[0071] 1-4. Method of fixing the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2 The method for manufacturing the liquid jet device 100 includes the steps of preparing the liquid jet head 1, the holding member 2, the elastic member 4, and the fixing member 3, and fixing the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2. The method for fixing the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2 will be described below. The method for fixing the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2 includes the steps of fixing the elastic member 4 to the liquid jet head 1, and fixing the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2.

[0072] 16 and 17 are diagrams illustrating the fixing of the elastic member 4 to the liquid jet head 1. As shown in Fig. 16, first, the hole defined by the first opening 401 of the elastic member 4 and the hole defined by the second opening 102 of the liquid jet head 1 are brought into a state where they overlap in a plan view. Thereafter, the engaging portion 32 and the shaft portion 33 of the fixing member 3 are inserted into the first opening 401 and the second opening 102.

[0073] When the shaft portion 33 is inserted into the first opening 401 and the second opening 102, the hole defined by the first opening 401, the hole defined by the second opening 102, and the engaging portion 32 overlap in a plan view. From another perspective, the second position, which is a rotational position where the engaging portion 32 can be inserted into the second opening 102, is the same as the rotational position where the engaging portion 32 can be inserted into the first opening 401. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 16 , there is no need to rotate the fixing member 3 when inserting the fixing member 3 into the first opening 401 and the second opening 102. In other words, the engaging portion 32 of the fixing member 3 can be easily inserted into the first opening 401 and the second opening 102 without rotating the fixing member 3.

[0074] 17, the fixing member 3 is rotated within the XY plane to cause the engaging portion 32 to engage with the second engaged portion 103. In this embodiment, the head portion 31 is operated to rotate the engaging portion 32 by 90° within the XY plane. With the engaging portion 32 engaged with the second engaged portion 103, the first opening 401 and the second opening 102 are positioned between the head portion 31 and the engaging portion 32.

[0075] As described above, the first flange portion 152a and the second flange portion 152b of the liquid jet head 1 have the second engaged portions 103 that can engage with the engaging portions 32. Therefore, the elastic member 4 can be fixed to the liquid jet head 1 by engaging the engaging portions 32 with the second engaged portions 103. Therefore, the elastic member 4 can be fixed to the liquid jet head 1 before the liquid jet head 1 is fixed to the holding member 2. In other words, the second engaged portions 103 of the liquid jet head 1 can be engaged with the engaging portions 32 before engaging the first engaged portions 203 of the holding member 2, which will be described later, with the engaging portions 32. Therefore, the elastic member 4 can be fixed to the liquid jet head 1 without dropping the liquid jet head 1 and the elastic member 4. Furthermore, as in this embodiment, the holes of the second openings 102 and the grooves of the second engaged portions 103 intersect in a plan view, allowing the engaging portions 32 to fit into the second engaged portions 103.

[0076] 18, 19, and 20 are diagrams illustrating the fixing of the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2. As shown in Fig. 18, in a state in which the elastic member 4 is fixed to the liquid jet head 1 by the fixing member 3, positioning is performed using the positioning pin 211, thereby overlapping the elastic member 4, the liquid jet head 1, and the holding member 2 so that the first opening 401 and the third opening 202 are perpendicular to each other in a plan view. In this overlapping state, as shown in Fig. 18, the engaging portion 32 of the fixing member 3 is inserted into the third opening 202 of the holding member 2.

[0077] Next, as shown in FIG. 19, the fixing member 3 is pushed straight in the Z2 direction, so that the shaft portion 33 is inserted through the third opening 202 and the engagement portion 32 is inserted through the fourth opening 204.

[0078] When the elastic member 4, the liquid jet head 1, and the holding member 2 are stacked so that the first opening 401 and the third opening 202 are perpendicular to each other in a plan view, the engaging portion 32, the second engaged portion 103, and the third opening 202 overlap in a plan view. From another perspective, the rotational position at which the engaging portion 32 engages with the second engaged portion 103 is the same as the first position, which is the rotational position at which the engaging portion 32 can be inserted into the third opening 202. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 19 , in a state in which the elastic member 4 is fixed to the liquid jet head 1 by the fixing member 3, the fixing member 3 can be pushed straight in the Z2 direction to insert the engaging portion 32 into the third opening 202, thereby improving operability.

[0079] 20, while the head portion 31 is pressing against the elastic member 4, the engaging portion 32 is engaged with the first engaged portion 203 so that the first opening 401 and the second opening 102 are sandwiched between the head portion 31 and the engaging portion 32. Specifically, while the head portion 31 is pressing against the elastic member 4, the fixing member 3 is rotated in the XY plane with the shaft portion 33 as the rotation axis. Specifically, the fixing member 3 is rotated by 90°. As a result, the liquid jet head 1 and the holding member 2 are fixed together.

[0080] In this way, by engaging the engaging portion 32 with the first engaged portion 203 so that the first opening 401 and the second opening 102 are sandwiched between the head 31 and the engaging portion 32, the liquid jet head 1 can be easily fixed to the holding member 2 without using multiple screws as in the past. This makes it easy to attach and replace the liquid jet head 1. Furthermore, since the rotation is less than 180°, or even 90° or less, the labor required by the worker is significantly reduced.

[0081] In particular, with the shaft portion 33 inserted through the second opening 102 and the third opening 202, the fixing member 3 is rotated in the XY plane around the shaft portion 33 as the rotation axis, whereby the engaging portion 32 is engaged with the first engaged portion 203. As a result, the liquid jet head 1 is fixed to the holding member 2. In this way, the liquid jet head 1 can be easily fixed to the holding member 2 by the simple task of rotating the fixing member 3 in the XY plane. This significantly reduces the amount of work required by the worker.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the engaging portion 32 is fitted into the first engaged portion 203. Therefore, after the liquid jet head 1 is fixed to the holding member 2, it is possible to prevent the engagement between the engaging portion 32 and the first engaged portion 203 from being released due to vibrations during printing or the like. Therefore, the liquid jet head 1 is stably fixed to the holding member 2 in a satisfactory manner over a long period of time.

[0083] 20 , the second opening 102 is disposed below the holding member 2 in the direction of gravity. The insertion direction of the fixing member 3 is from below to above in the direction of gravity. According to the method for fixing the liquid jet head 1 using the fixing member 3, it is not necessary to simultaneously perform three operations, namely, the operation of pressing the liquid jet head 1, the operation of holding the screw, and the operation of fixing the screw with a tool, as in the conventional method. Therefore, even when fixing the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2 from below to above in the direction of gravity, in other words, even when the workability is poor because the liquid jet head 1 cannot be fixed to the holding member 2 in a state where the liquid jet head 1 is placed on the holding member 2, the liquid jet head 1 can be easily fixed to the holding member 2.

[0084] As described above, the hole of the third opening 202 of the holding member 2 and the hole of the second opening 102 of the liquid jet head 1 intersect in a plan view. From another perspective, the first position, which is a rotational position at which the engaging portion 32 can be inserted into the third opening 202, is different from the second position, which is a rotational position at which the engaging portion 32 can be inserted into the second opening 102. Therefore, by rotating the fixing member 3 to the first position, which is different from the second position, when inserting the fixing member 3 into the third opening 202, the fixing member 3 will not fall even if the worker is not holding the fixing member 3, thereby enabling stable work. Furthermore, when the fixing member 3 is rotated in the XY plane to remove the liquid jet head 1 from the holding member 2, thereby releasing the engagement between the engaging portion 32 and the first engaged portion 203, the engaging portion 32 is located at the first position, which prevents the fixing member 3 from passing through the second opening 102 and dropping during the release. In particular, when the liquid jet head 1 is fixed to the holding member 2 from below toward above in the direction of gravity as in this embodiment, the fixing member 3 is likely to fall, and therefore the effect is remarkable.

[0085] Furthermore, the holding member 2 has a restricting portion 206 that restricts the rotation of the fixed member 3. Therefore, when the fixed member 3 is rotated on the XY plane, the engaging portion 32 can be easily engaged with the first engaged portion 203 simply by releasing the pushing of the fixed member 3 in the Z1 direction at a position where the engaging portion 32 abuts against the restricting portion 206.

[0086] Furthermore, the head 31 has a groove 311 that fits with a tool for rotating the fixing member 3. Therefore, by operating the fixing member 3 using a tool such as a screwdriver or wrench that has a shape that corresponds to the groove 311, the liquid jet head 1 can be easily fixed to the holding member 2. Furthermore, because the groove 311 is open in the Z1 direction of the head 31, by using a tool that extends in the Z1 direction, even if there is not enough space in the XY plane, the liquid jet head 1 can be easily attached and replaced.

[0087] Furthermore, the elastic member 4 is separate from the liquid jet head 1 and the holding member 2. The elastic member 4 is not fixed to the liquid jet head 1 or the holding member 2, and is not fixed by any member other than the fixing member 3. Therefore, if the elastic member 4 deteriorates due to multiple replacements of the liquid jet head 1, the elastic member 4 can be easily replaced. Furthermore, since the elastic member 4 is not fixed to the liquid jet head 1 or the holding member 2, the elastic member 4 can be easily elastically deformed, and the fixing member 3 can be easily pushed into the fourth opening 204. Furthermore, by keeping the elastic member 4 separate from the liquid jet head 1 and not fixed thereto, the elastic member 4 can be used in other configurations in which the surface on which the elastic member 4 is provided is opposite to the first flange portion 152a and the second flange portion 152b. Therefore, the arrangement of the elastic member 4 relative to the first flange portion 152a and the second flange portion 152b can be easily changed. In this embodiment, the liquid ejection head 1 is fixed to the holding member 2 from below in the vertical direction, but the arrangement of the elastic member 4 can be easily changed depending on the case where the liquid ejection head 1 is fixed to the holding member 2 from above in the vertical direction, for example.

[0088] As described above, the length of the shaft portion 33 is set to a length that does not cause plastic deformation of the elastic member 4. Furthermore, when the engaging portion 32 and the first engaged portion 203 are engaged with each other, the distance from the contact surface of the head portion 31 with the elastic member 4 to the second opening 102 is set to be less than the amount of deformation in the Z1 direction when the elastic member 4 is deformed up to the upper yield point, which is the elastic limit of the elastic member 4. Therefore, even if a load acts on the liquid jet head 1 in the Z1 direction, for example, when an external wiring member is inserted in the Z1 direction to connect to the connector 112 of the liquid jet head 1, the elastic member 4 can be prevented from plastic deformation even if the load deforms the elastic member 4 in the Z-axis direction.

[0089] Furthermore, the holder 15 and the holding member 2 are formed of materials with different linear expansion coefficients. More precisely, the main body 21 of the holding member 2, which is elongated in the X-axis direction, and the second opening 102 of the holder 15 are formed of materials with different linear expansion coefficients. Even if the holder 15 or the holding member 2 deforms due to the difference in these linear expansion coefficients, the presence of the elastic member 4 makes it possible to stably maintain the fixed state of the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2 compared to a case in which the elastic member 4 is not provided. Therefore, appropriate materials can be selected for the holder 15 and the holding member 2, thereby improving the degree of freedom in design.

[0090] Furthermore, the holding member 2 is positioned in the Z2 direction with respect to the first flange portion 152a of the liquid jet head 1. Therefore, the holding member 2 can be made smaller than when the holding member 2 is positioned to the side of the first flange portion 152a.

[0091] 2. Second embodiment A second embodiment will be described. In the following examples, elements that have the same functions as those in the first embodiment will be designated by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted where appropriate.

[0092] 21 is a perspective view showing a fixing member 3A of the second embodiment. This embodiment is similar to the first embodiment except that a fixing member 3A is used instead of the fixing member 3. Below, regarding the fixing member 3A, differences from the fixing member 3 of the first embodiment will be described, and descriptions of similar points will be omitted as appropriate.

[0093] The fixing member 3A shown in FIG. 21 has a head 31A instead of the head 31 of the first embodiment. The head 31A is a lever for rotating the fixing member 3A within the XY plane. Because the head 31A is a lever, the liquid jet head 1 can be fixed to the holding member 2 by the fixing member 3A without using a tool. Therefore, compared to when a tool is used, the installation and replacement of the liquid jet head 1 can be performed more easily.

[0094] Specifically, the head 31A of the fixing member 3A is configured to be rotatable about the shaft 33 in the directions indicated by arrows A11 and A12. For example, the shaft 33 of the fixing member 3A is inserted into the first opening 401 and the second opening 102 after being rotated 90 degrees in the A11 direction from the state of the fixing member 3A shown in FIG. 21 . Next, the head 31A is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow A12 from the state of the fixing member 3A rotated 90 degrees in the A11 direction from the state of the fixing member 3A shown in FIG. 21 , thereby engaging the engaging portion 32 with the second engaged portion 103. Next, the fixing member 3A is pushed in the Z2 direction, and the head 31A is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow A11 to return to the state of the fixing member 3A rotated 90 degrees in the A11 direction from the state of the fixing member 3A shown in FIG. 21 , thereby engaging the engaging portion 32 with the first engaged portion 203. By operating the head 31A in this manner, the liquid jet head 1 can be easily attached and replaced.

[0095] Furthermore, in a state where the liquid jet head 1 is fixed to the holding member 2, the fixing member 3A is rotated 90 degrees in the A11 direction from the state of the fixing member 3A shown in Fig. 21. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the head unit 10.

[0096] 3. Third embodiment A third embodiment will be described. In the following examples, elements that have the same functions as those in the first embodiment will be designated by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted where appropriate.

[0097] Fig. 22 is a cross-sectional view showing a fixing member 3B of the third embodiment. Fig. 23 is a cross-sectional view showing an exploded state of fixing member 3B of the third embodiment. This embodiment is similar to the first embodiment except that fixing member 3B is used instead of fixing member 3. Below, regarding fixing member 3B, differences from fixing member 3 of the first embodiment will be described, and descriptions of similar points will be omitted as appropriate.

[0098] As shown in Figures 22 and 23, the fixing member 3B is made up of multiple members. Specifically, the fixing member 3B has a first member 301 and a second member 302. The first member 301 and the second member 302 are separable and can be assembled together. The first member 301 has a head 31 and a first shaft portion 33B. The second member 302 has an engagement portion 32 and a second shaft portion 34. The first shaft portion 33B and the second shaft portion 34 form a "shaft portion." In other words, in this embodiment, the "shaft portion" is made up of both the first member 301 and the second member 302.

[0099] As shown in FIG. 23, the first shaft portion 33B has a tip portion 331 that can engage with the second shaft portion 34. The tip portion 331 is located at the end opposite the head portion 31 of the first shaft portion 33B. For example, a male thread is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion 331. The second shaft portion 34 is configured to be able to engage with the tip portion 331. For example, a female thread is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the second shaft portion 34. By fitting the second member 302 into the first member 301, the first member 301 is fixed to the second member 302 as shown in FIG. 22.

[0100] When the liquid jet head 1 is fixed to the holding member 2 using the fixing member 3B, the first member 301 is fixed to the second member 302 in a state where the "shaft" formed by the first shaft portion 33B of the first member 301 and the second shaft portion 34 of the second member 302 is inserted into both the first opening 401 and the second opening 102. In other words, the first member 301 and the second member 302 are fixed in a state where the "shaft" formed by the first shaft portion 33B and the second shaft portion 34 is inserted into both the first opening 401 and the second opening 102. In addition, for example, the shapes of the holes of the first opening 401 and the second opening 102 are designed to match the shapes of the first shaft portion 33B and the second shaft portion 34, and further the shapes of the holes of the first opening 401 and the second opening 102 are designed so that the engagement portion 32 and the head 31 cannot be inserted therethrough.

[0101] Therefore, unlike the first embodiment, there is no need to rotate the fixing member 3B until the fixing member 3B is inserted into both the first opening 401 and the second opening 102. Furthermore, because the engaging portion 32 and the head 31 are shaped so as not to be inserted into the holes of the first opening 401 and the second opening 102, the fixing member 3B and the elastic member 4 do not come off the liquid jet head 1 after the first member 301 and the second member 302 are fixed. This prevents the fixing member 3B and the elastic member 4 from falling off when fixing the liquid jet head 1. Furthermore, the shapes of the holes of the first opening 401 and the second opening 102 can be designed to match the shapes of the first shaft portion 33B and the second shaft portion 34. Specifically, for example, the holes can be formed into circular holes that match the cross-sectional shapes of the first shaft portion 33B and the second shaft portion 34. This facilitates the processing of each member, and improves the mechanical strength of each member, particularly the elastic member 4.

[0102] The method of fixing the first member 301 to the second member 302 is not limited to screw fastening, but may be, for example, adhesive bonding, press fitting, or the like.

[0103] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the "shank" is formed by both the first member 301 and the second member 302, but the "shank" may be formed by only one of the first member 301 and the second member 302. Specifically, in this embodiment, the "shank" is formed by the first shank 33B and the second shank 34, but the "shank" may be formed by only one of the first shank 33B and the second shank 34. For example, if a male screw is formed on the end of the second shank 34 of the second member 302 opposite the engagement portion 32 and the male screw is fastened to a female screw formed inside the head 31 to form the fixing member 3B, the first member 301 will not have the first shank 33B which is part of the "shank," and therefore the "shank" will be formed by only the second shank 34 of the second member 302. In other words, only one of the first member 301 and the second member 302, that is, the second member 302, constitutes the "shaft portion."

[0104] 4. Variations The above-described exemplary embodiments can be modified in various ways. Specific modified embodiments that can be applied to the above-described embodiments are exemplified below. Two or more embodiments arbitrarily selected from the following examples can be combined as appropriate to the extent that they are not mutually contradictory.

[0105] 4-1. First modified example 24 is a diagram schematically illustrating a liquid jet head 1C and a holding member 2C of a first modified example. In the embodiment described above, the first flange portion 152a of the liquid jet head 1 is positioned in the Z1 direction relative to the holding member 2, but in the example shown in FIG. 24, the first flange portion 152a is positioned in the Z2 direction relative to a part of the holding member 2.

[0106] In this case, the holding member 2C has a second opening 271 and a second engaged portion 272. The second opening 271 has the same configuration, function, and effect as the second opening 102 of the first embodiment. The second engaged portion 272 has the same configuration, function, and effect as the second engaged portion 103 of the first embodiment. Furthermore, the liquid jet head 1C has a third opening 171 and a first engaged portion 172. The third opening 171 has the same configuration, function, and effect as the third opening 202 of the first embodiment. The first engaged portion 172 has the same configuration, function, and effect as the first engaged portion 203 of the first embodiment.

[0107] Therefore, in the first modified example, as in the first embodiment, the liquid jet head 1C and the holding member 2C are fixed by engaging the engaging portion 32 with the first engaged portion 172 of the liquid jet head 1C so that the first opening 401 of the elastic member 4 and the second opening 271 of the holding member 2C are sandwiched between the head 31 of the fixing member 3 and the engaging portion 32.

[0108] In Figure 24, for ease of explanation, the longitudinal direction of the first engaged portion 172 and the longitudinal direction of the second engaged portion 272 are shown as the same X1 direction, but as in the above-mentioned embodiment, it is preferable that the longitudinal direction of the first engaged portion 172 and the longitudinal direction of the second engaged portion 272 intersect in order to prevent the fixing member 3 from falling.

[0109] 4-2. Second modified example FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the liquid jet head 1 and the holding member 2 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the liquid jet head 1D and the holding member 2D according to a second modified example. As shown in FIG. 25, in the first embodiment, the holding member 2 is positioned in the Z2 direction with respect to the first flange portion 152a. In this case, the fixing member 3 is attached to the liquid jet head 1 and the holding member 2 from below toward above in the direction of gravity. However, as shown in FIG. 26, in a case where a portion of the holding member 2 is positioned in the Z1 direction with respect to the first flange portion 152a of the liquid jet head 1D, the fixing member 3 may be attached to the liquid jet head 1 and the holding member 2 from above toward below in the direction of gravity.

[0110] 25, since the holding member 2 is positioned in the Z2 direction relative to the first flange portion 152a, the holding member 2 is not disposed on the side of the second opening 102. Since the holding member 2 is positioned in the Z2 direction relative to the first flange portion 152a, it is easier to reduce the size of the liquid jet head 1 compared to the example shown in FIG. 26. As shown in FIG. 25, the internal space of the holding member 2 can be reduced, which makes it easier to reduce the size of the liquid jet head 1. Furthermore, since the fixing member 3 is fixed from below toward above in the direction of gravity, the distance between the ejection surface S11 and the fixing member 3 is shortened, and therefore the positional accuracy of the nozzle can be improved.

[0111] 4-3.Third Modification 27 is a diagram schematically illustrating a liquid jet head 1E and a holding member 2E according to a third modified example. In the example illustrated in Fig. 27, the holding member 2E is positioned above the first flange portion 152a and the base portion 151 in the direction of gravity. In this example, the fixing member 3 can be attached to the liquid jet head 1E and the holding member 2E from above toward below in the direction of gravity.

[0112] In this case, the holding member 2E has a second opening 273. The second opening 273 has the same configuration, function, and effect as the second opening 102 of the first embodiment. Note that, when the liquid jet head 1E is fixed to the holding member 2E from above to below in the direction of gravity, the "second engaged member" may be omitted. The liquid jet head 1E also has a third opening 173 and a first engaged portion 174. The third opening 173 has the same configuration, function, and effect as the third opening 202 of the first embodiment. The first engaged portion 174 has the same configuration, function, and effect as the first engaged portion 203 of the first embodiment.

[0113] 4-4.Fourth Modification 28 is a diagram schematically illustrating a liquid jet head 1F and a holding member 2F of a fourth modified example. In the example illustrated in Fig. 28, the holding member 2F is positioned above the base 151 in the direction of gravity and below the first flange portion 152a in the direction of gravity. In this example, the fixing member 3 can be attached to the liquid jet head 1F and the holding member 2F from above toward below in the direction of gravity.

[0114] In this case, the liquid jet head 1F has a second opening 175. The second opening 175 has the same configuration, function, and effect as the second opening 102 of the first embodiment. Note that, when the liquid jet head 1F is fixed to the holding member 2F from above to below in the direction of gravity, the "second engaged member" may be omitted. The holding member 2F also has a third opening 274 and a first engaged portion 275. The third opening 274 has the same configuration, function, and effect as the third opening 202 of the first embodiment. The first engaged portion 275 has the same configuration, function, and effect as the first engaged portion 203 of the first embodiment.

[0115] 4-5. Fifth Modification FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram illustrating a holding member 2G of a fifth modified example. As shown in FIG. 29, the holding member 2G further includes a second engaged portion 177 in addition to the second opening 102 and the second engaged portion 103. That is, the holding member 2G has two "second engaged portions." The second engaged portion 103 is located in the Z2 direction of the second opening 102, and the second engaged portion 177 is located in the Z1 direction of the second opening 102. Therefore, in the example shown in FIG. 29, the "second engaged portions" are provided on both sides of the second opening 102. Therefore, in addition to the case where the fixing member 3 is inserted into the second opening 102 of the liquid ejection device 1G from below to above in the direction of gravity as shown in FIG. 29, the fixing member 3 can also be inserted into the second opening 102 of the liquid ejection device 1G from above to below in the direction of gravity. Therefore, for example, the insertion direction of the fixing member 3 can be easily changed depending on the relative positions of the liquid ejection device 1G and the holding member 2.

[0116] 4-6. Sixth Modification Fig. 30 is a diagram schematically illustrating a fixing member 3H and a liquid jet head 1H according to a sixth modified example. Fig. 31 is a plan view of the fixing member 3H and the first flange portion 152a of the liquid jet head 1H shown in Fig. 30. In the example shown in Fig. 30, an engaging portion 32H of the fixing member 3H also functions as an operating portion for rotating the fixing member 3H relative to the liquid jet head 1H within the XY plane when fixing the liquid jet head 1H. The head portion 31 comes into contact with the elastic member 4.

[0117] Furthermore, the liquid jet head 1H has a first engaged portion 178 that engages with the engaging portion 32H. The first engaged portion 178 is a convex portion that protrudes in the Z2 direction from the first flange portion 152a.

[0118] The second opening 102 of the liquid jet head 1 is configured so that the engaging portion 32H can be inserted therethrough. As shown in Figure 31, the engaging portion 32H is rotatable in the direction indicated by arrow A21 and the direction indicated by arrow A22.

[0119] For example, from a state in which the engaging portion 32H is located within the second opening 102, it is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow A21 to be positioned at the position shown in Fig. 32. Then, as shown in Figs. 30 and 31, the engaging portion 32 is engaged with the first engaged portion 178 of the liquid jet head 1. As a result, also in the sixth modified example, similar to the first embodiment, the liquid jet head 1H and the holding member 2 are fixed by engaging the engaging portion 32 with the first engaged portion 178 so that the first opening 401 and the third opening 202 are sandwiched between the head 31 of the fixing member 3H and the engaging portion 32H.

[0120] 4-7. Seventh Variation Figure 32 is a diagram schematically illustrating an elastic member 4I of a seventh modified example. The elastic member 4I shown in Figure 32 is a flat spring member with no bent portions. The liquid jet head 1H also has a plurality of protrusions 154 that protrude in the Z2 direction from the first flange portion 152a. The elastic member 4I is disposed on the protrusions 154. By using the elastic member 4I, it is possible to improve the positional accuracy of the liquid jet head 1 with respect to the holding member 2 compared to when the elastic member 4 of the first embodiment is used.

[0121] 4-8. Eighth Variation Fig. 33 is a diagram schematically illustrating an elastic member 4J of an eighth modified example. The elastic member 4 shown in Fig. 33 has a flat plate portion 44 with no bent portions, and a plurality of protrusions 43 protruding in the Z1 direction from the flat plate portion 44. The protrusions 43 come into contact with the liquid jet head 1. Use of the elastic member 4J can improve the positional accuracy of the liquid jet head 1 relative to the holding member 2 compared to the case where the elastic member 4 of the first embodiment is used.

[0122] 4-9. 9th Variation Fig. 34 is a plan view schematically showing a fixing member 3K of a ninth modified example. In the example shown in Fig. 34, an engaging portion 32K of the fixing member 3K has three protrusions 325 extending in the XY plane from the shaft portion 33 in a plan view.

[0123] The shape of the "engaging portion" may be any shape as long as it can engage with the "first engaged portion." However, as shown in FIG. 34, the engaging portion 32K has multiple protrusions 325, which makes it possible to reduce the rotation angle of the fixing member 3 in the XY plane compared to the engaging portion 32 of the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the fixing member 3 was rotated 90° to fix the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2, but by using the fixing member 3K shown in FIG. 34, the rotation angle of the fixing member 3K can be set to, for example, 60°. This makes it easier to fix the liquid jet head 1 to the holding member 2.

[0124] The "shank" may have a shape other than a circle in plan view, provided that its function is not impaired. The "head" may have a shape other than a circle in plan view, provided that its function is not impaired.

[0125] 4-10. 10th Variation Figure 35 is a schematic diagram showing a liquid ejecting apparatus 100L according to a tenth modified example. The liquid ejecting apparatus 100L shown in Figure 35 is a serial printing apparatus. The liquid ejecting apparatus 100L includes a plurality of liquid ejecting heads 1 aligned in the transport direction DM of the medium PP. The plurality of liquid ejecting heads 1 are aligned in the X-axis direction.

[0126] The liquid ejecting device 100L includes a head transport mechanism 95. The head transport mechanism 95 has a carriage 951 and an endless belt 952. The carriage 951 holds a plurality of liquid ejecting heads 1. The carriage 951 is connected to the endless belt 952. The carriage 951 is transported by the endless belt 952 and moves back and forth in the main scanning direction.

[0127] When performing a printing process, the liquid ejection device 100L transports the medium PP in a sub-scanning direction that intersects the main scanning direction, while reciprocating the liquid ejection head 1 in the main scanning direction, and ejects ink from the liquid ejection head 1. This forms dots on the medium PP according to the print data, thereby printing an image on the medium PP.

[0128] The liquid ejecting head 1 is also applied to the liquid ejecting apparatus 100L, which is such a serial type printer.

[0129] 4-11.Other variations In the above-described embodiment, a groove 311 is formed in the head 31 of the fixing member 3, but the shape of the groove 311 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a polygonal shape such as a square or hexagon, a plus shape, or an I shape.

[0130] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the elastic member 4 is a leaf spring, but the elastic member 4 may also be, for example, a coil spring, a disc spring, a wave washer, or the like. However, using a leaf spring makes it easier to shorten the distance between the fixing member 3 and the liquid jet head 1 compared to using a coil spring. Here, if an attempt is made to position the first flange portion 152a closer to the ejection surface S11 to improve positioning accuracy, the distance in the ejection direction from the ejection surface S11 to the first flange portion 152a becomes shorter. In this case, it is difficult to use a coil spring, which requires a certain dimension in the Z1 direction, which is the ejection direction. In contrast, a leaf spring is suitable because it can withstand a high load and only requires a small dimension in the ejection direction.

[0131] In the above-described embodiment, the second flange portion 152b is provided with two positioning holes 1521, but the first flange portion 152a may be provided with two positioning holes 1521. In this case, the elastic member 4 is disposed between the two positioning holes 1521 in plan view.

[0132] In the above-described embodiment, the restricting portion 206 is provided on the engaged member 25, but the restricting portion 206 does not have to be provided on the engaged member 25. In this way, the fixing member 3 can be rotated in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction on the XY plane.

[0133] It should be noted that the above-described embodiment merely shows a typical form of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and additions are possible within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0134] The liquid ejection apparatus exemplified in the above-described embodiment can be employed in various devices such as facsimile machines and copiers, in addition to devices dedicated to printing. However, the uses of the liquid ejection apparatus are not limited to printing. For example, a liquid ejection apparatus that ejects a solution of a coloring material is used as a manufacturing apparatus for forming color filters for display devices such as liquid display panels. Furthermore, a liquid ejection apparatus that ejects a solution of a conductive material is used as a manufacturing apparatus for forming wiring and electrodes on a wiring board. Furthermore, a liquid ejection apparatus that ejects a solution of an organic substance related to a living body is used as a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing biochips, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0135] 1...liquid jet head, 2...holding member, 3...fixing member, 4...elastic member, 10...head unit, 11...electrical connection portion, 12...flow path structure, 13...wiring board, 14...fixing plate, 15...holder, 19...screw, 21...main body portion, 25...engaged member, 29...screw member, 31...head, 32...engaging portion, 33...shaft portion, 41...base portion, 42...spring portion, 43...convex portion, 44...flat portion, 50...head chip, 51...actuator unit, 52...wiring member, 91...liquid container, 92...circulation mechanism, 93...control unit, 94...medium conveying mechanism, 95...head conveying mechanism, 100...liquid jetting device, 101...opening, 102...second opening, 103...second engaged portion, 111...relay board, 112...connector, 11 3...cover, 129...flow path pipe, 131...connector, 151...base, 152a...first flange portion, 152b...second flange portion, 154...protrusion portion, 201...opening, 202...third opening, 203...first engaged portion, 204...fourth opening, 205...fifth opening, 206...regulating portion, 210...recess, 211...positioning pin, 290...screw opening, 301...first member, 302...second member, 311...groove, 325...protrusion portion, 331...tip portion, 401...first opening, 951...carriage, 952...endless belt, 1521...positioning hole, 1522...fixing hole, H2...opening, L2a...first row, L2b...second row, PP...medium, S11...ejection surface, S12...communicating flow path, S15...ink introduction path.

Claims

1. a liquid ejection head that ejects liquid; a holding member that holds the liquid jet head; a fixing member having a head, an engagement portion, and a shaft portion connecting the head and the engagement portion; an elastic member having a first opening through which the shaft portion is inserted; Equipped with one of the liquid ejection head and the holding member has a second opening through which the shaft portion is inserted, and the other has a first engaged portion that is engaged with the engaging portion; the engaging portion and the first engaged portion are engaged with each other so that the first opening and the second opening are sandwiched between the head portion and the engaging portion, thereby fixing the liquid ejection head and the holding member; the other of the liquid ejection head and the holding member has a third opening through which the shaft portion and the engaging portion are inserted, the shaft portion is inserted into the third opening, and the fixing member is rotated around the shaft portion as a rotation axis, thereby fixing the liquid ejection head and the holding member; a first position, which is a rotational position at which the engaging portion can be inserted into the third opening, is different from a second position, which is a rotational position at which the engaging portion can be inserted into the second opening; A liquid ejection device characterized by:

2. the first engaged portion forms a groove that opens on a surface of the third opening opposite to a surface facing the second opening, the engaging portion is fitted into the first engaged portion by rotating the fixing member around the shaft portion as a rotation axis; The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 .

3. The second position is the same as a rotational position at which the engagement portion can be inserted into the first opening. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 .

4. a liquid ejection head that ejects liquid; a holding member that holds the liquid jet head; a fixing member having a head, an engagement portion, and a shaft portion connecting the head and the engagement portion; an elastic member having a first opening through which the shaft portion is inserted; Equipped with one of the liquid ejection head and the holding member has a second opening through which the shaft portion is inserted, and the other has a first engaged portion that is engaged with the engaging portion; the engaging portion and the first engaged portion are engaged with each other so that the first opening and the second opening are sandwiched between the head portion and the engaging portion, thereby fixing the liquid ejection head and the holding member; the one of the liquid jet head and the holding member has a second engaged portion engageable with the engaging portion; A liquid ejection device characterized by:

5. the one of the liquid jet head and the holding member has a second engaged portion engageable with the engaging portion; The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 .

6. The second engaged portions are provided on both sides of the second opening. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 4 or 5.

7. 7. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the rotational position at which the engaging portion engages with the second engaged portion is the same as the first position.

8. the other of the liquid ejection head and the holding member has a restricting portion that restricts rotation of the fixed member; The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 .

9. The head has a hole or groove that mates with a tool for rotating the fixing member. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 .

10. The head is a lever for rotating the fixing member. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 .

11. the elastic member is separate from the liquid ejection head and the holding member; The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 .

12. the second opening of the liquid jet head and the holding member are formed of materials with different linear expansion coefficients. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 .

13. the liquid jet head is provided with the second opening, the second opening is disposed below the holding member in the direction of gravity, The insertion direction of the fixing member is a direction from below to above in the direction of gravity. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 .

14. A method for fixing a liquid jet head to a holding member using a fixing member having a head, an engagement portion, and a shaft portion connecting the head and the engagement portion, and an elastic member having a first opening through which the shaft portion is inserted and abutting against the head, the method comprising: one of the liquid ejection head and the holding member has a second opening through which the shaft portion is inserted and a second engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion, and the other has a first engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion, the head portion presses the elastic member while engaging the engaging portion with the first engaged portion so that the first opening and the second opening are sandwiched between the head portion and the engaging portion, thereby fixing the liquid ejection head to the holding member; an insertion direction of the fixing member when fixing the liquid ejection head and the holding member is from below to above in the direction of gravity; before engaging the engaging portion with the first engaged portion, the fixing member is inserted into the first opening and the second opening, and then the fixing member is rotated around the shaft portion as a rotation axis, thereby engaging the engaging portion with the second engaged portion; A method for fixing a liquid jet head, comprising:

15. A method for fixing a liquid jet head to a holding member using a fixing member having a head, an engagement portion, and a shaft portion connecting the head and the engagement portion, and an elastic member having a first opening through which the shaft portion is inserted and abutting against the head, the method comprising: one of the liquid ejection head and the holding member has a second opening through which the shaft portion is inserted, and the other has a first engaged portion that is engaged with the engaging portion; the head portion presses the elastic member while engaging the engaging portion with the first engaged portion so that the first opening and the second opening are sandwiched between the head portion and the engaging portion, thereby fixing the liquid ejection head to the holding member; the fixing member includes a first member having the head portion and a second member having the engaging portion, before engaging the engaging portion with the first engaged portion, fixing the first member to the second member in a state in which the shaft portion formed of at least one of the first member and the second member is inserted into both the first opening and the second opening; A method for fixing a liquid jet head, comprising:

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