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

Abstract

To reduce variations in a height of a sealing resin applied to a part between a base plate and a cover member in a liquid discharge head in which a plurality of base plates are inclined and aligned.SOLUTION: A liquid discharge head includes a cover member 103 having a plurality of liquid discharge base plates 101 adjacently aligned in a row and an opening part 31, a support member 102, and a sealing part 112. The liquid discharge plate 101 has a first side 14a on one side in an aligning direction and a second side 14b on the other side. A first base plate and a second base plate which are adjacent to each other are arranged in such a manner that the first side 14a of the first base plate faces the second side 14b of the second base plate. The first side 14a and the second side 14b extend to incline relative to a conveying direction of a recording medium. The first side 14a partially overlaps the second side 14b when viewed in the aligning direction. The opening part 31 includes a part which is formed to extend in the aligning direction while bending by following a side constituting a quadrilateral shape of an outer peripheral end surface 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Liquid ejection heads, such as inkjet printheads, used in liquid ejection devices generally have a liquid ejection substrate bonded to a base substrate on which a liquid flow path is formed. If there is a gap between the liquid ejection substrate and the base substrate or other components, ink and dust can get into the gap and, if they fall during printing, stain the printed object. Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration that makes it difficult for ink and dust to get in.

[0003] However, if the height of the sealing resin applied between the base substrate and the liquid ejection substrate is too high, the sealing resin may pile up on the liquid ejection substrate and fill the openings through which ink is ejected, resulting in poor printing. Furthermore, if the height of the sealing resin is too low, a gap may form between the sealing resin and the component equipped with the suction mechanism used in the process of cleaning the substrate surface, resulting in insufficient suction and improper cleaning. To prevent such poor printing and cleaning, it is desirable to control the height of the sealing resin within a certain range and suppress variations in height.

[0004] The configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 has multiple rectangular substrates arranged in a row, the width of the gap between the cover member and the substrates is approximately uniform, and the liquid level of the sealing resin applied to the gap can be easily controlled uniformly. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-40021 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, when multiple substrates are arranged in a straight line at an angle on a conventional liquid ejection head with a rectangular opening, the outline formed by the multiple substrates extends in a zigzag pattern rather than in a straight line in the direction of the substrate arrangement. This means that the width of the gap between the substrate and the cover member becomes uneven, resulting in an issue of uneven and unstable liquid level of the sealing resin.

[0007] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to reduce variations in the height of the sealing resin applied between the substrates and the cover member in a liquid ejection head in which a plurality of substrates are arranged at an angle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the liquid ejection head of the present invention comprises: a plurality of liquid ejection substrates each having a rectangular flat surface, a rectangular annular outer peripheral end surface surrounding the flat surface, and an ejection port provided on the flat surface, the liquid ejection substrates being adjacent to each other and arranged in a line; a cover member having an opening that surrounds the row of the plurality of liquid ejection substrates; a support member that supports the plurality of liquid ejection substrates and the cover member; a sealing member provided between the outer peripheral end surface and the opening; Equipped with the liquid ejection substrate has, as three of four sides constituting the quadrangular shape of the outer peripheral end surface, a first side on one side in an arrangement direction in which the plurality of liquid ejection substrates are arranged, a second side on the other side, and a third side extending at an angle with respect to the arrangement direction and connecting the first side and the second side; a first substrate and a second substrate adjacent to each other among the plurality of liquid ejection substrates are arranged such that the first side of the first substrate faces the second side of the second substrate; the first side of the first substrate and the second side of the second substrate extend at an angle with respect to a transport direction of a recording medium, a liquid ejection head in which the first side of the first substrate partially overlaps with the second side of the second substrate when viewed in the arrangement direction, the opening includes a portion formed to extend in the arrangement direction while bending along the first side and the third side of the first substrate and the second substrate, In a region where the opening is formed following the outer peripheral end surface, the difference between the maximum and minimum widths between the opening and the outer peripheral end surface is 0.5 mm or less. Characterized by 。 Ma In order to achieve the above object, the liquid ejection head of the present invention comprises: a plurality of liquid ejection substrates each having a rectangular flat surface, a rectangular annular outer peripheral end surface surrounding the flat surface, and an ejection port provided on the flat surface, the liquid ejection substrates being adjacent to each other and arranged in a line; a cover member having an opening that surrounds the row of the plurality of liquid ejection substrates; a support member that supports the plurality of liquid ejection substrates and the cover member; a sealing member provided between the outer peripheral end surface and the opening; Equipped with the liquid ejection substrate has, as four sides constituting the quadrangular shape of the outer peripheral end surface, a first side on one side in an arrangement direction in which the plurality of liquid ejection substrates are arranged, a second side on the other side, a third side extending at an angle with respect to the arrangement direction and connecting the first side and the second side, and a fourth side connecting the first side and the second side and parallel to the third side; a first substrate and a second substrate adjacent to each other among the plurality of liquid ejection substrates are arranged such that the first side of the first substrate faces the second side of the second substrate; the first side of the first substrate and the second side of the second substrate extend at an angle with respect to a transport direction of a recording medium, a liquid ejection head in which the first side of the first substrate partially overlaps with the second side of the second substrate when viewed in the arrangement direction, the opening includes a portion formed to extend in the arrangement direction while bending along the first side and the third side of the first substrate and the second substrate, The portion of the opening facing the fourth side is formed so as to extend in a straight line in the arrangement direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, in a liquid ejection head in which a plurality of substrates are arranged at an angle, it is possible to reduce variations in the height of the sealing resin applied between the substrates and the cover member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a liquid ejection apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a liquid ejection head according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a liquid ejection head according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating a cleaning operation of the substrate surface according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a liquid ejection head according to a conventional example. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD according to a conventional example. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E according to a conventional example. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a gap in the liquid ejection head according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a liquid ejection head according to a second embodiment before a sealing resin is applied. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an FF before application of a sealing resin according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line GG before application of a sealing resin according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an FF after application of a sealing resin according to a second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line GG after application of a sealing resin according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail by way of example with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of the components described in the following embodiments may be changed as appropriate depending on the configuration and various conditions of the device to which the disclosure is applied. In other words, the scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the following embodiments.

[0012] (First embodiment) The liquid ejection head according to the present invention can be applied to devices such as printers, copiers, and facsimiles as liquid ejection devices. The liquid ejection head may also be mounted in a liquid ejection device such as a printer as a cartridge integrally formed with a tank that supplies liquid to the liquid ejection head. An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an inkjet printhead will be described below.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of a liquid ejection device equipped with a liquid ejection head according to the present embodiment, particularly an inkjet printing device (hereinafter also referred to as a printing device) 1000 that performs printing by ejecting ink as an example of liquid. The printing device 1000 is a line-type printing device equipped with a transport unit 1100 that transports a printing medium 200 and a line-type (page-wide) liquid ejection head 300 arranged perpendicular to the transport direction of the printing medium 200. The printing device 1000 performs continuous printing in one pass while transporting multiple printing media 200 continuously or intermittently. The liquid ejection head 300 includes a negative pressure control unit 301 that controls the pressure (negative pressure) within a circulation path, a liquid supply unit 302 that is fluidly connected to the negative pressure control unit 301, a liquid connection unit 304 that serves as a supply and discharge port for liquid to and from the liquid supply unit 302, and a housing 305. The printing medium 200 is not limited to cut paper, but may also be a continuous roll of media. The liquid ejection head 300 is capable of full-color recording using cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) inks, and is fluidly connected to a liquid supply means, a main tank, and a buffer tank, which are supply channels that supply ink to the liquid ejection head 300. In addition, the liquid ejection head 300 is electrically connected to an electrical control unit that transmits power and ejection control signals to the liquid ejection head 300.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the vicinity of the ejection ports of a liquid ejection head 300 according to this embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a plan view thereof. The liquid ejection head 300 is a member that is long in the longitudinal direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the transport direction (X direction) of the recording medium 200. In the liquid ejection head 300 of the present invention, a plurality of liquid ejection substrates 101 (hereinafter also referred to as substrates) are arranged in a line on a support substrate 102 as a support member, and are bonded together with an adhesive. The arrangement direction of the substrates 101 is as follows: The support substrate 102 extends along the longitudinal direction of the liquid ejection head 300 (parallel in this embodiment) and intersects with the transport direction of the recording medium 200 (orthogonal in this embodiment). A cover member 103 is further provided on the support substrate 102. The cover member 103 has an opening 31 that surrounds the periphery of the arranged substrates 101. Furthermore, a sealing resin 104 is applied as a sealing material between the outer peripheral end surface 12 of the substrate 101 and the opening 31 so as to fill the gap. Each substrate 101 is electrically connected to an electric wiring board (not shown), and the electrical connection portion is sealed with a sealing material 105.

[0015] The substrate 101, which serves as a liquid ejection substrate, has a parallelogram-shaped flat surface 13 having acute and obtuse angles, and an outer peripheral end surface 12 that surrounds the flat surface 13 in a rectangular ring shape. The rectangular shape of the outer peripheral end surface 12 is composed of four sides: two short sides 14 and two long sides 15. A plurality of nozzles 11, which serve as ejection ports for ejecting liquid such as ink, are formed and arranged in a row on the flat surface. A fluid path that communicates with the nozzles 11 is formed inside the support substrate 102, and ink is ejected from the nozzles 11 toward the recording medium 200 through the fluid path inside the support substrate 102 in an ink ejection direction (z direction) that is approximately perpendicular to the transport direction and the longitudinal direction.

[0016] 3, the arrangement of the substrates 101 will be described in detail, with the short sides 14 of the substrates 101 designated as first side 14a and second side 14b, and the long sides 15 designated as third side 15a and fourth side 15b. Focusing on a single substrate 101, the first side 14a is positioned so as to partially overlap the second side 14b when viewed in the arrangement direction, and is shifted downstream in the transport direction from the second side 14b. In other words, the substrates 101 are positioned at an angle with respect to the arrangement direction.

[0017] The positional relationship between adjacent substrates 101 will be described below, with the substrate 101 on one side of the arrangement direction (negative Y direction) referred to as the first substrate 101a and the substrate 101 on the other side (positive Y direction) referred to as the second substrate 101b. The first side 14a of the first substrate 101a faces and is parallel to the second side 14b of the second substrate 101b. The first side 14a of the first substrate 101a is positioned so as to partially overlap the second side 14b when viewed in the arrangement direction, and is shifted downstream in the transport direction relative to the second side 14b of the second substrate 101b. The first side 14a and the second side 14b extend at an angle with respect to the transport direction of the recording medium 200. In this embodiment, the extension direction of the first side 14a and the second side 14b is from one side to the other as it moves from the upstream side to the downstream side. That is, the end of the first side 14a of the first substrate 101a and the end of the second side 14b of the second substrate 101b do not coincide with each other, but are positioned offset from each other.

[0018] The third side 15a and the fourth side 15b are sides connecting the first side 14a and the second side 14b and extend at an angle relative to the arrangement direction. The nozzles 11 on the plane 13 of the substrate 101 are arranged in rows parallel to the extension direction of the third side 15a and the fourth side 15b. By arranging the nozzles 11 in multiple rows at an angle relative to the arrangement direction, the rows of nozzles 11 on one substrate 101 overlap with the rows of nozzles 11 on the other substrate 101 in the transport direction of the recording medium 200 at adjacent portions of the substrates 101. This arrangement makes it possible to reduce the visibility of black streaks and white areas in the recorded image by controlling the drive of the overlapping nozzles 11, even if the position of the substrate 101 is slightly shifted from the predetermined position. Furthermore, space can be saved compared to when multiple substrates 101 are arranged in a staggered pattern with overlapping nozzle rows.

[0019] As described above, in order to overlap the nozzle rows of adjacent substrates 101, the substrates 101 are arranged at an angle with respect to the arrangement direction, and the short sides of adjacent substrates 101 are arranged facing each other. Since the ends of the short sides 14 of each substrate are not aligned but are shifted, the contours of the outer peripheral end faces 12 of the multiple substrates 101 are not linear in the arrangement direction but are curved and zigzag. It is formed to extend.

[0020] The opening 31 of the cover member 103 has a shape that conforms to the outer peripheral end surface 12 of the substrate 101 over the entire longitudinal direction so that the gap width between the opening 31 and the outer peripheral end surface 12 of the substrate 101 is uniform in the region scanned by the rubber member 111 (described later) during the cleaning process. Specifically, when viewed in the ink ejection direction, the opening 31 is formed to face the first side 14a, the second side 14b, and the third side 15a in parallel. Furthermore, the portion of the opening 31 facing the fourth side 15b is formed to extend in a straight line in the arrangement direction without conforming to the sides. In FIG. 3 , the region scanned by the rubber member 111 within the region coated with the sealing resin 104 is hatched to distinguish it from the region not scanned by the rubber member 111. The shape of the opening 31, which is characteristic of the present invention, and its effects will be described in detail below.

[0021] Various materials such as resin and metal can be used for the cover member 103. From the viewpoint of strength, a resin containing a filler is preferable as the resin, and a metal such as SUS is preferable as the metal. The cover member 103 is generally formed by injection molding, in which a resin or the like is injected into a mold, and then the mold is opened and the resin is removed.

[0022] After the cover member 103 is bonded, the sealing resin 104 is applied so as to fill the gap between the substrate 101 and the cover member 103. The material of the sealing resin 104 can be appropriately selected from thermosetting resin, moisture-curing resin, UV-curing resin, etc., but in this embodiment, a urethane resin that is a mixture of an isocyanate compound and a phenol compound and that cures at room temperature is used. The sealing resin 104 is applied by dropping a liquid sealing material from the tip of a needle into the gap between the substrate 101 and the cover member 103.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating the operation of a rubber member 111 equipped with a vacuum suction mechanism used for cleaning. An inkjet printhead mounted in a printer ejects ink onto a print target to produce a print. However, repeated printing can cause ink droplets to adhere to the surface of the substrate 101, resulting in a deterioration in print quality. To remove ink droplets from the surface of the substrate 101, a cleaning rubber member 111 is placed in contact with the surface of the substrate 101, and cleaning is performed by vacuum suction on the substrate. During the cleaning process, the rubber member 111, acting as a suction member, moves in the longitudinal direction of the liquid ejection head 300 (moving relative to the liquid ejection head 300) to clean the area of ​​the substrate 101 where the nozzles 11 are located. During this cleaning, the rubber member 111 also passes through the sealing region 112. However, since the height of the sealing resin 104 is low, the rubber member 111 cannot maintain a vacuum in the space where it does not contact the sealing resin 104, resulting in insufficient suction. In other words, depending on the height of the sealing resin 104, cleaning performance may be impaired. Therefore, when cleaning the substrate 101 by vacuum suction, it is necessary to reduce the variation in the height of the sealing resin 104 in the sealing region 112 through which the rubber member 111 passes, and to maintain a constant height.

[0024] 5 to 7, the relationship between the gap width between the outer peripheral end surface 12 of the substrate 101 and the opening 31 of the cover member 103 and the height of the sealing resin 104 will be described. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a conventional example in which the shape of the opening 31 of the cover member 103 is not parallel to the outline of the outer peripheral end surface 12 of the substrate 101 but extends in a straight line in the arrangement direction. In the conventional example, because the opening 31 of the cover member 103 is not parallel to the outline of the substrate 101, the width of the gap between the outer peripheral end surface 12 and the opening 31 varies depending on the position. In other words, there are parts where the width of the gap between the outer peripheral end surface 12 and the opening 31 is small (gap width W4) and parts where it is large (gap width W5).

[0025] 6 shows a DD cross section of FIG. 5 where the gap width is small, and FIG. 7 shows an EE cross section of FIG. 5 where the gap width is large. The substrate 101 is supported on a support substrate 102 via a substrate support member 107. The cover member 103 is supported on the support substrate 102 with an adhesive 106. 7, the outline of a rubber member 111 used in the cleaning process is shown by a dotted line.

[0026] When the sealing resin 104 is applied to the gap, it forms a concave meniscus along the sidewalls of the opening 31 of the cover member 103 and the outer peripheral end surface 12 of the substrate 101. As shown in FIG. 6, when the gap width W4 is small, the surface tension per unit area is large, so the liquid level of the sealing resin 104 is raised, the curvature of the concave meniscus is small, and the liquid level H1 is high. On the other hand, when the gap width W5 is large, the concave meniscus is formed with a large curvature, the force pulling up the sealing resin 104 is weakened, and the liquid level H2 is low. Therefore, the height of the sealing resin 104 between the outer peripheral end surface 12 and the opening 31 varies depending on the gap width, and the height of the sealing resin 104 becomes uneven within the area through which the rubber member 111 passes. As a result, the rubber member 111 does not sufficiently reduce the pressure and suction when passing through areas with low sealing resin levels, thereby deteriorating the cleaning ability of the substrate 101.

[0027] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of portions A, B, and C in FIG. 3 , showing the gap widths between the outer peripheral end surface 12 and the opening 31 in the area through which the tubular rubber member 111 according to this embodiment passes. The gap width between the long side 15 (third side 15a) of the substrate 101 and the opening 31 is defined as W1, and the gap width between the short sides 14 (first side 14a and second side 14b) of the substrate 101 located at both ends in the arrangement direction and the opening 31 is defined as W2. Furthermore, the gap width between the short sides 14 (first side 14a) located between adjacent substrates 101 and the opening 31 is defined as W3. The smaller the difference between the gap widths W1, W2, and W3 between the outer peripheral end surface 12 and the opening 31, the more effectively the variation in sealing resin stop height can be suppressed. In the area through which the rubber member 111 passes, the difference between the maximum and minimum gap widths between the outer peripheral end surface 12 and the opening 31 is preferably 0.5 mm or less. In this embodiment, W1 and W2 are set to 3.00 mm, and W3 is set to 2.50 mm.

[0028] As described above, by forming the opening 31 of the cover member 103 in a shape that follows the contour formed by the outer peripheral end surface 12 of the liquid ejection substrate 101, the shape of the meniscus of the liquid surface of the sealing resin 104 becomes constant in the area where the rubber member 111 passes. In other words, when the contours formed by multiple substrates are not linear, forming the opening to follow that contour can reduce variations in the sealing resin height. In this embodiment, the opening 31 is formed to follow the outer peripheral end surface 12 only in the area where the rubber member 111 passes. With this configuration, variations in the liquid surface height of the sealing resin 104 are reduced, improving the cleanability of the substrate 101 surface.

[0029] In the region where the rubber member 111 coated with the sealing material 105 does not pass, the liquid level of the sealing resin 104 does not need to be uniform. Therefore, in consideration of the difficulty of manufacturing, etc., in the region facing the outer peripheral end face 12 (fourth side 15b) on the side of the substrate 101 where the sealing material 105 is coated, the opening 31 is formed to extend in a straight line in the arrangement direction.

[0030] The configuration of the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and various modifications are possible. For example, in this embodiment, the opening is parallel to the outer peripheral end face in order to have a shape that follows the outer peripheral end face, but strictly speaking, it does not have to be parallel, and the opening may be inclined to the extent that the width of the gap does not change significantly.

[0031] As another modification, for example, the substrates do not necessarily need to be in contact with adjacent substrates, and the present invention can be applied to a configuration in which there is a small gap between the substrates. Even in such a case, the same effect can be obtained by forming an opening along the contour formed by the outer peripheral end face, assuming that the gap is filled. In other words, even in a configuration in which two sides extending apart between adjacent substrates are positioned offset in the conveyance direction of the recording medium 200, by applying the present invention, it is possible to suppress variations in the liquid surface height of the sealing resin and improve cleaning performance. Furthermore, the planar shape of the substrate is not limited to a parallelogram, and can be other quadrilaterals, such as a rectangle or a trapezoid. The configuration of the present invention can be preferably applied even when a rectangular substrate is used.

[0032] (Second embodiment) Next, as a second embodiment, a configuration will be described in which the shape of the opening in the cover member on the support substrate is the same as in the conventional example, and the width of the gap to which the sealing resin is applied is made uniform by applying a sealant material. Note that a description of the same configuration as in the first embodiment, such as the arrangement of the liquid ejection substrate 101, will be omitted.

[0033] FIG. 9 is a plan view schematically illustrating the configuration near the ejection ports of a liquid ejection head 300 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the opening 31 of the cover member 103 is not zigzag-shaped following the contour of the substrate 101, but is a parallelogram extending in a straight line in the arrangement direction of the substrate 101. A distinctive feature of this embodiment is that a sealant material 108 is applied adjacent to the third side 15a constituting the outer peripheral end surface 12 of the substrate 101, which forms the zigzag contour, in addition to the sealing resin 104. Prior to applying the sealing resin 104, the sealant material 108 is applied substantially parallel to the opening 31, thereby making the width of the gap between the sealant material 108 and the opening 31 to which the sealing resin 104 is applied uniform. That is, in this embodiment, the sealing region includes a first sealing portion adjacent to the opening 31 and to which the sealing resin 104 is applied as a first sealing material, and a second sealing portion adjacent to the outer peripheral end surface 12 and to which the sealant material 108 is applied as a second sealing material.

[0034] 10 to 13, a configuration for uniforming the height of the sealing resin 104 using the sealant material 108 will be described in detail below. As shown in FIG. 9, in this embodiment, the gap width between the outer peripheral end surface 12 of the substrate 101 and the opening 31 of the cover member 103 is non-uniform. FIG. 10 shows the FF cross section of FIG. 9, in which the gap width is small, and FIG. 11 shows the GG cross section of FIG. 9, in which the gap width is large. A larger amount of sealant material 108 is applied to the GG cross section, in which the gap width is large, than to the FF cross section, in which the gap width is small. In other words, the gap widths W6 and W7 between the sealant material 108 and the opening 31 in FIGS. 10 and 11 are set to approximately the same values ​​by adjusting the amount and application position of the sealant material 108 depending on the distance between the outer peripheral end surface 12 and the opening 31.

[0035] The liquid ejection head 300 of this embodiment is formed through the following steps. In the first step, a plurality of substrates 101 are arranged adjacent to one another in a row on a support substrate 102 via substrate support members 107, and a cover member 103 is placed so that the openings 31 surround them. In the second step, a sealant material 108 is applied to the substrate support member 107 adjacent to the third side 15a to form a second sealing portion. At this time, the second sealing portion is formed so that the outline of the sealant material 108 follows the outline of the opposing opening 31. In the third step, a sealing resin 104 is applied to the gaps between the openings 31, the sealant material 108, and the substrates 101 to form a first sealing portion.

[0036] 9 and 10 , the sealant material 108 is provided on the substrate support member 107 so as to be adjacent to the outer peripheral edge surface 12 of the substrate 101. The substrate support member 107 has a shape conforming to the opening 31, and includes a non-substrate supporting portion 71 where the substrate 101 is not provided on the substrate support member 107 and which protrudes toward the opening from the substrate 101. By applying the sealant material 108 so as to completely cover the non-substrate supporting portion 71, the sealant material 108 is applied so as to conform to the opening 31. After applying the sealant material 108, sealing material is dripped between the opening 31 and the outer peripheral edge surface 12 and between the opening 31 and the sealant material 108, thereby reducing variations in the liquid level of the sealing resin 104.

[0037] 12 shows the FF cross section after the sealing resin 104 has been applied to the gap, and FIG. 13 shows the GG cross section after the sealing resin 104 has been applied to the gap. Because the gap widths W6 and W7 from the end of sealant material 108 to opening 31 are substantially uniform, the sealing resin 104 forms a similar meniscus shape in each gap, and the liquid level heights H3 and H4 of sealing resin 104 are substantially equal. In other words, variation in the liquid level height of sealing resin 104 is suppressed in the area where rubber member 111 passes, improving the cleanability of the surface of substrate 101. In the area where rubber member 111 passes, it is desirable that the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​of the distance between the end of sealant material 108 and opening 31 be 0.5 mm or less.

[0038] The sealant 108 can be made of a thermosetting adhesive, and epoxy, urethane, or other adhesives can be selected. However, it is desirable that the sealant 108 be made of a material that has high wettability with respect to the sealing resin 104. If a material with high water repellency and low wettability is used, the fluidity of the sealing resin 104 may decrease, and the gaps in the sealing groove may not be filled. Furthermore, if the sealant 108 is higher than the substrate 101, it may clog the nozzle 11 or be scraped off by the rubber member 111 during the substrate surface cleaning process. Therefore, the application height of the sealant 108 needs to be lower than the height of the substrate 101.

[0039] As described above, according to this embodiment, even when a cover member having a rectangular opening, which is easy to manufacture, is used, it is possible to obtain a head with reduced variation in sealing height and improved cleanability. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the area to which the sealing resin 104 is applied extends linearly in the arrangement direction without bending, which is an advantage in that the application operation of the sealing resin 104 is simplified.

[0040] In this embodiment, the sealant material is applied only to the third side, but as a modified example, if necessary, the sealant material may be applied adjacent to not only one side but also another side such as the first side or the second side, thereby making the width of the gap where the sealing resin is applied uniform. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 11... nozzle (discharge port), 12... outer peripheral end surface, 13... flat surface, 14a... first side, 14b... second side, 31... opening, 101... liquid discharge substrate, 102... support substrate (support member), 103... cover member, 112... sealing region (sealing portion)

Claims

1. a plurality of liquid ejection substrates each having a rectangular flat surface, a rectangular annular outer peripheral end surface surrounding the flat surface, and an ejection port provided on the flat surface, the liquid ejection substrates being adjacent to each other and arranged in a line; a cover member having an opening that surrounds the row of the plurality of liquid ejection substrates; a support member that supports the plurality of liquid ejection substrates and the cover member; a sealing member provided between the outer peripheral end surface and the opening; Equipped with the liquid ejection substrate has, as three of four sides constituting the quadrangular shape of the outer peripheral end surface, a first side on one side in an arrangement direction in which the plurality of liquid ejection substrates are arranged, a second side on the other side, and a third side extending at an angle with respect to the arrangement direction and connecting the first side and the second side; a first substrate and a second substrate adjacent to each other among the plurality of liquid ejection substrates are arranged such that the first side of the first substrate faces the second side of the second substrate; the first side of the first substrate and the second side of the second substrate extend at an angle with respect to a transport direction of a recording medium, a liquid ejection head in which the first side of the first substrate partially overlaps with the second side of the second substrate when viewed in the arrangement direction, the opening includes a portion formed to extend in the arrangement direction while bending along the first side and the third side of the first substrate and the second substrate, In a region where the opening is formed to conform to the outer peripheral end surface, the difference between the maximum and minimum widths between the opening and the outer peripheral end surface is 0.5 mm or less.

2. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1 , wherein the first side of the first substrate is shifted downstream in the transport direction relative to the second side of the first substrate so as to partially overlap when viewed in the arrangement direction.

3. the discharge ports are arranged in a plurality of rows along an extension direction of the third side, 3. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the row of ejection ports of the first substrate overlaps with the row of ejection ports of at least one of the second substrates when viewed in the transport direction.

4. A liquid ejection head according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein in a region where the opening is formed following the outer peripheral end face, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plane, the opening is formed parallel to the first side, the second side, or the third side.

5. 5. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement direction is perpendicular to the transport direction.

6. 6. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the plane is a parallelogram having an acute angle and an obtuse angle.

7. A liquid ejection head according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the portion formed to extend in the arrangement direction while bending to follow the sides of the opening extends over the entire area of ​​the opening in the arrangement direction.

8. 8. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the opening includes a portion that extends in a zigzag pattern in the arrangement direction following the outer peripheral end surface.

9. the liquid ejection substrate further has a fourth side that connects the first side and the second side and is parallel to the third side; 9. The liquid ejection head according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the opening facing the fourth side is formed so as to extend in a straight line in the arrangement direction.

10. A liquid ejection head further comprising an electric wiring board, the liquid ejection substrate further includes an electrical connection portion that is electrically connected to the electrical wiring board; The liquid ejection head according to claim 9 , wherein the electrical connection portion is provided on the fourth side of the four sides.

11. a plurality of liquid ejection substrates each having a rectangular flat surface, a rectangular annular outer peripheral end surface surrounding the flat surface, and an ejection port provided on the flat surface, the liquid ejection substrates being adjacent to each other and arranged in a line; a cover member having an opening that surrounds the row of the plurality of liquid ejection substrates; a support member that supports the plurality of liquid ejection substrates and the cover member; a sealing member provided between the outer peripheral end surface and the opening; Equipped with the liquid ejection substrate has four sides that constitute the quadrangular shape of the outer peripheral end surface: a first side on one side in an arrangement direction in which the plurality of liquid ejection substrates are arranged, a second side on the other side, a third side that extends at an angle with respect to the arrangement direction and connects the first side and the second side, and a fourth side that connects the first side and the second side and is parallel to the third side; a first substrate and a second substrate adjacent to each other among the plurality of liquid ejection substrates are arranged such that the first side of the first substrate faces the second side of the second substrate; the first side of the first substrate and the second side of the second substrate extend at an angle with respect to a transport direction of a recording medium, a liquid ejection head in which the first side of the first substrate partially overlaps with the second side of the second substrate when viewed in the arrangement direction, the opening includes a portion formed to extend in the arrangement direction while bending along the first side and the third side of the first substrate and the second substrate, a portion of the opening facing the fourth side is formed to extend in a straight line in the arrangement direction; Liquid ejection head.

12. A liquid ejection head according to any one of claims 1 to 11, a suction member that moves relative to the liquid ejection substrate along the arrangement direction to clean the liquid ejection substrate of the liquid ejection head; A liquid ejection device comprising: In a region where the suction member passes, the opening is formed to conform to the outer peripheral end surface.

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