Liquid supply member, liquid discharge head, and recording device

Abstract

Provided is a liquid supply member comprising a first member, a second member, a flow passage, a joint portion, an opening, and a damming portion. The flow passage is positioned between the first member and the second member. The joint portion is positioned at an interface between the first member and the second member and surrounds the flow passage. The opening communicates with the inside. The damming portion is positioned between the opening and the outside.

Description

Liquid supply member, liquid ejection head and recording apparatus

[0001] The disclosed embodiments relate to a liquid supply member, a liquid ejection head, and a recording apparatus.

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Known printing devices include inkjet printers and inkjet plotters that use an inkjet recording method. Such inkjet printing devices are equipped with a liquid ejection head for ejecting liquid.

[0003] Such a liquid ejection head has, for example, an ejection member that ejects liquid and a liquid supply member that supplies liquid to the ejection member. Some liquid supply members have a flow path formed between two adjacent members that are joined by welding or the like.

[0004] JP 2011-79244 A

[0005] A liquid supply member according to one aspect of the embodiment has a first member, a second member, a flow path, a joint, an opening, and a dam. The flow path is located between the first member and the second member. The joint is located at the interface between the first member and the second member and surrounds the flow path. The opening communicates with the interior. The dam is located between the opening and the exterior.

[0006] FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing the front of a printer according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the plane of a printer according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the schematic configuration of a liquid ejection head according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the liquid ejection head shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of a flow path member according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the flow path member shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a view for explaining a damming portion according to an embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an example of a liquid supply member according to an embodiment. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view for explaining an example of a lid-like member according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of a flow path member according to an embodiment.

[0007] In the liquid supply member described above, for example, ink may enter the interior, causing a short circuit in the wiring, etc., and there is room for further improvement in terms of reliability.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need to provide a highly reliable liquid supply member, a liquid ejection head, and a recording apparatus.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of a liquid supply member, a liquid ejection head, and a recording apparatus disclosed in the present application will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below. It should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of elements may differ from reality. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships and ratios may differ between the drawings.

[0010] Furthermore, in the following embodiments, expressions such as "constant," "orthogonal," "perpendicular," or "parallel" may be used, but these expressions do not necessarily mean "constant," "orthogonal," "perpendicular," or "parallel" in the strict sense. In other words, the above expressions allow for deviations due to, for example, manufacturing precision, installation precision, etc.

[0011] Furthermore, the embodiments can be combined as appropriate within the scope of not causing any contradiction in the processing content. Furthermore, the same components in the following embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0012] [Embodiment] <Printer Configuration> First, an overview of a printer, which is an example of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment, will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a front view that schematically shows the front surface of the printer according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is a plan view that schematically shows the plane of the printer according to an embodiment. The printer according to an embodiment is, for example, a color inkjet printer.

[0013] 1, the printer 1 includes a paper feed roller 2, a guide roller 3, a coater 4, a head case 5, a plurality of transport rollers 6, a plurality of frames 7, a plurality of liquid ejection heads 8, a transport roller 9, a dryer 10, a transport roller 11, a sensor unit 12, and a recovery roller 13. The transport roller 6 is an example of a transport unit.

[0014] Furthermore, the printer 1 has a control unit 14 that controls each part of the printer 1. The control unit 14 controls the operations of the paper feed roller 2, the guide roller 3, the coater 4, the head case 5, the plurality of transport rollers 6, the plurality of frames 7, the plurality of liquid ejection heads 8, the transport roller 9, the dryer 10, the transport roller 11, the sensor unit 12, and the recovery roller 13.

[0015] The printer 1 records images and characters on the printing paper P by causing droplets to land on the printing paper P. The printing paper P is an example of a recording medium. Before use, the printing paper P is wound around a paper feed roller 2. The printer 1 transports the printing paper P from the paper feed roller 2, via a guide roller 3 and a coater 4, into the inside of a head case 5.

[0016] The coater 4 applies the coating agent evenly to the printing paper P. This allows the printing paper P to be surface treated, thereby improving the printing quality of the printer 1.

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

[0018] At least one of the control factors such as temperature, humidity, and air pressure of the internal space of the head case 5 is controlled by the control unit 14 as necessary. The transport rollers 6 transport the printing paper P inside the head case 5 to the vicinity of the liquid ejection head 8.

[0019] The frame 7 is a rectangular flat plate, and is positioned above and in close proximity to the print paper P being transported by the transport rollers 6. As shown in Figure 2, the frame 7 is positioned so that its longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the transport direction of the print paper P. Inside the head case 5, multiple (for example, four) frames 7 are positioned at predetermined intervals along the transport direction of the print paper P.

[0020] A liquid, such as ink, is supplied from a liquid tank (not shown) to the liquid ejection head 8. The liquid ejection head 8 ejects the liquid supplied from the liquid tank.

[0021] The control unit 14 controls the liquid ejection head 8 based on data such as images and characters, and ejects liquid toward the printing paper P. The distance between the liquid ejection head 8 and the printing paper P is, for example, about 0.5 to 20 mm.

[0022] The liquid ejection head 8 is fixed to the frame 7. The liquid ejection head 8 is positioned so that its longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the direction in which the printing paper P is transported.

[0023] That is, the printer 1 according to this embodiment is a so-called line printer in which the liquid ejection head 8 is fixed inside the printer 1. Note that the printer 1 according to this embodiment is not limited to a line printer, and may also be a so-called serial printer.

[0024] A serial printer is a printer that alternates between recording by moving the liquid ejection head 8 back and forth in a direction that intersects the transport direction of the printing paper P, for example, in a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the direction, and transporting the printing paper P.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 2, a plurality of (for example, five) liquid ejection heads 8 are fixed to one frame 7. Fig. 2 shows an example in which three liquid ejection heads 8 are positioned in front and two in the rear in the transport direction of the printing paper P, and the liquid ejection heads 8 are positioned in the transport direction of the printing paper P so that the centers of the respective liquid ejection heads 8 do not overlap.

[0026] A head group 8A is made up of multiple liquid ejection heads 8 positioned on one frame 7. The four head groups 8A are positioned along the transport direction of the printing paper P. Four colors of ink are supplied to the liquid ejection heads 8 belonging to the same head group 8A. This allows the printer 1 to print with four colors of ink using the four head groups 8A.

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

[0028] In order to treat the surface of the printing paper P, a coating agent may be ejected onto the printing paper P from the liquid ejection head 8 .

[0029] Furthermore, the number of liquid ejection heads 8 included in one head group 8A and the number of head groups 8A mounted on the printer 1 can be changed as appropriate depending on the object to be printed and the printing conditions. For example, if printing is to be performed within the range that can be printed with one liquid ejection head 8, the number of liquid ejection heads 8 mounted on the printer 1 may be one.

[0030] The printing paper P that has been printed inside the head case 5 is transported to the outside of the head case 5 by transport rollers 9 and passes through the inside of a dryer 10. The dryer 10 dries the printing paper P that has been printed. The printing paper P that has been dried in the dryer 10 is transported by transport rollers 11 and collected by a collection roller 13.

[0031] In the printer 1, by drying the printing paper P in the dryer 10, it is possible to prevent the printing paper P that is wound up in a pile on the collection roller 13 from adhering to each other and the undried liquid from rubbing against each other.

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

[0033] The printer 1 described so far has been shown to use printing paper P as the printing object (i.e., recording medium), but the printing object in printer 1 is not limited to printing paper P, and the printing object may also be a roll of cloth or the like.

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

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

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

[0037] The wiping process is a process of removing liquid adhering to the liquid ejection head 8 by wiping the surface of the area where the liquid is ejected with a flexible wiper, for example.

[0038] The capping process is performed, for example, as follows: First, a cap is placed over the surface of the portion onto which the liquid is to be ejected (this process is called capping). This creates a substantially sealed space between the surface of the portion onto which the liquid is to be ejected and the cap. Next, the liquid is repeatedly ejected into this sealed space. This makes it possible to remove liquid with a higher viscosity than the standard state, foreign matter, etc., that has clogged the nozzle 21A (see FIG. 3).

[0039] <Configuration of Liquid Ejection Head> Next, the configuration of the liquid ejection head 8 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a schematic configuration of the liquid ejection head according to the embodiment.

[0040] For ease of understanding, Fig. 3 illustrates a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system including a Z-axis with the vertically upward direction as the positive direction. This Cartesian coordinate system may also be shown in other drawings used in the following description. For convenience, in the following description, the direction in which the nozzle 21A (see Fig. 3) is located in the liquid ejection head 8, i.e., the negative Z-axis direction, may be referred to as "down" or "downward," and the positive Z-axis direction may be referred to as "up" or "upward." In addition, in Figs. 3 to 6, various components may be omitted or simplified.

[0041] As shown in Figure 3, the liquid ejection head 8 includes an ejection member 21, a liquid supply member 30, a pressure applying section 23, a first flow path 27, a second flow path 28, a head cover 29, heat sinks 31 and 32, a connector 33, a driving member (driving substrate) 34, and a connecting member (flexible substrate) 35.

[0042] The discharge member 21 is located on the bottom side of the liquid discharge head 8, facing the printing paper P (see FIG. 1). The discharge member 21 has a nozzle 21A. The nozzle 21A opens to the bottom surface of the liquid discharge head 8 and discharges liquid supplied inside the discharge member 21 to the outside.

[0043] The liquid supply member 30 is positioned above the discharge member 21. The liquid supply member 30 supplies liquid to the discharge member 21. The liquid supply member 30 has a flow path 30A that connects to the nozzle 21A. Liquid is supplied to the inside of the flow path 30A from the first flow path 27. Details of the liquid supply member 30 will be described later.

[0044] The pressurizing unit 23 controls the ejection of liquid from the ejection member 21 in response to a drive signal from the drive IC 36. The pressurizing unit 23 has a piezoelectric element that is displaced when energized, and a pressure chamber whose internal pressure changes in response to the displacement of the piezoelectric element. The pressurizing unit 23 controls the ejection of liquid to the outside from the nozzle 21A of the ejection member 21 by changing the internal pressure of the pressure chamber.

[0045] The first flow path 27 supplies liquid to the flow path 30A (flow path portion 224) of the liquid supply member 30. The second flow path 28 recovers liquid from the flow path 30A of the liquid supply member 30. When ink is initially introduced into the liquid ejection head 8, air, preservative solution, etc. present inside the flow path 30A can be removed through the second flow path 28, thereby facilitating the introduction of ink into the liquid ejection head 8. When printing, the second flow path 28 may be closed, or the ink in the flow path 30A may be recovered. The liquid recovered from the second flow path 28 is supplied to the first flow path 27, for example, through a filter (not shown).

[0046] The head cover 29 is plate-shaped and is disposed so as to cover the space located above the liquid supply member 30 .

[0047] The head cover 29 can be made of a conductive metal material such as aluminum. Alternatively, the head cover 29 may be made of a conductive or insulating resin material. This allows the liquid ejection head 8 to properly dissipate heat via the head cover 29. The head cover 29 may also have a higher thermal conductivity than the liquid supply member 30. This makes it difficult for heat to be conducted from the head cover 29 to the liquid supply member 30. This can reduce the possibility of changes in the properties of the liquid flowing inside the liquid supply member 30, resulting in problems with ejection performance.

[0048] The head cover 29 may be in contact with the liquid supply member 30, or may be spaced apart from the liquid supply member 30. Positioning the head cover 29 spaced apart from the liquid supply member 30 reduces the likelihood of heat conduction from the head cover 29 to the liquid supply member 30, and promotes heat conduction to the heat sinks 31 and 32. This reduces the possibility of changes in the properties of the liquid flowing inside the liquid supply member 30 causing problems with the ejection performance, for example.

[0049] The heat sinks 31 and 32 are plate-shaped members positioned along the YZ plane. The heat sinks 31 and 32 are positioned opposite each other in the X-axis direction, sandwiching the head cover 29 and the liquid supply member 30 between them. The heat sinks 31 and 32 are fixed to the head cover 29 and the liquid supply member 30 via fixing members 42. The fixing members 42 may be, for example, metal screw members.

[0050] The heat sinks 31 and 32 may be made of, for example, the same material as the head cover 29. Alternatively, the heat sinks 31 and 32 may be made of, for example, a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the head cover 29.

[0051] The connector 33 is electrically connected to the pressure applying unit 23. The connector 33 receives, from the outside, a drive signal for driving, for example, a piezoelectric element included in the pressure applying unit 23, in response to a control signal output from the control unit 14 (see FIG. 1).

[0052] The driving member 34 drives the liquid ejection head 8. The driving member 34 generates a control signal for a driving IC 36, which will be described later. The control signal for the driving IC 36 is supplied to the driving IC 36 via a connecting member 35.

[0053] The connection member 35 is located between the pressure applying unit 23 and the drive member 34. The connection member 35 electrically connects the pressure applying unit 23 and the drive member 34. A drive IC 36 is mounted on the connection member 35. The drive IC 36 is a so-called integrated circuit. The drive IC 36 controls the pressure applying unit 23 in response to a control signal sent from the drive member 34, thereby controlling the ejection of liquid.

[0054] <Configuration of Liquid Supply Member> Next, the configuration of the liquid supply member 30 according to this embodiment will be further described with reference to Figures 4 to 7. Figure 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the liquid ejection head shown in Figure 3.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 4, the liquid supply member 30 has a flow path member 22 as a first member and a lid-like member 24 as a second member. The liquid supply member 30 has a joint portion 25 and a dam portion 26. The joint portion 25 and the dam portion 26 are located at the interface between the flow path member 22 and the lid-like member 24. The liquid supply member 30 also has a flow path 30A (see Fig. 3) between the flow path member 22 and the lid-like member 24. The joint portion 25 and the dam portion 26 will be described in detail below.

[0056] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of a flow path member according to an embodiment. Fig. 6 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the flow path member shown in Fig. 5. The flow path member 22 shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 shows a state in which the cover member 24 of the liquid supply member 30 according to an embodiment has been removed.

[0057] 5, the flow path member 22 has a notch 221, an opening 223, and a flow path portion 224. The notch 221 and the opening 223 are located on both sides of the flow path portion 224 in the X-axis direction.

[0058] The cutouts 221 are positioned so as to cut out the side surfaces located at both ends of the flow path member 22 in the width direction along the X axis. The heat sinks 31, 32 (see FIG. 3) are accommodated in the cutouts 221. This allows the lengths of the heat sinks 31, 32 in the Z axis direction to be greater than those of the head cover 29, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance of the liquid ejection head 8, for example. Furthermore, by accommodating the heat sinks 31, 32 in the cutouts 221, it is possible to avoid, for example, an increase in the size of the liquid ejection head 8 in the X axis direction. Furthermore, the presence of the cutouts 221 in the flow path member 22 makes it easier to accommodate the heat sinks 31, 32, for example.

[0059] The opening 223 is located closer to the center of the flow path member 22 than the notch 221. The opening 223 is in communication with the interior of the liquid supply member 30 that houses, for example, the pressurizing unit 23 (see FIG. 3) and the like. A connecting member 35 (see FIG. 3) is inserted into the opening 223.

[0060] The flow path portion 224 is a recess located in the center of the flow path member 22 and extending longitudinally along the Y-axis direction. The flow path portion 224 is sealed by a lid-like member 24 located on the flow path member 22, and forms a flow path 30A (see FIG. 3).

[0061] The liquid supply member 30 also has a joint 25. The joint 25 is the portion where the flow path member 22 and the lid-like member 24 are joined. The joint 25 is positioned so as to surround the flow path portion 224. By having the joint 25 surrounding the flow path portion 224 at the interface between the flow path member 22 and the lid-like member 24, the liquid located between the flow path member 22 and the lid-like member 24 flows appropriately inside the flow path 30A (see FIG. 3).

[0062] The liquid supply member 30 also has a damming portion 26 located at the interface between the flow path member 22 and the lid-like member 24. The damming portion 26 is located between the opening 223 and the outside 40 (see FIG. 7 ). Similar to the joint portion 25, the damming portion 26 is a portion where the flow path member 22 and the lid-like member 24 are joined. The joining here may include welding as one form, and specifically may be, for example, thermal welding, high-frequency welding, ultrasonic welding, or laser welding. The liquid supply member 30 is made of, for example, a resin material. The liquid supply member 30 may also be made of metal.

[0063] 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a damming portion according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the liquid ejection head 8 shown in FIG. 7 corresponds to a cross-sectional view of the portion where the damming portion 26 is located, taken along the YZ plane.

[0064] For example, in a liquid supply member 30 in which the flow path member 22 and the lid-like member 24 are joined, it is inevitable that ink will seep into the small gap between the flow path member 22 and the lid-like member 24. In such a case, if the flow path member 22 and the lid-like member 24 were joined only by the joint 25 surrounding the flow path portion 224, ink would reach the opening 223 while avoiding the joint 25 and enter the interior of the liquid supply member 30, causing a short circuit in the wiring. In the liquid supply member 30 according to this embodiment, the dam portion 26 is positioned to separate the opening 223 from the outside 40, making it difficult for ink to enter the interior of the liquid supply member 30 even if ink seeps into a gap at the end of the liquid supply member 30. This makes it less likely that a short circuit will occur in the wiring or the like inside the liquid supply member 30, thereby improving the reliability of the liquid supply member 30.

[0065] The damming portion 26 will now be described in further detail. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the damming portion 26 may extend in a direction intersecting the joint portion 25. More specifically, the damming portion 26 may extend from the joint portion 25 in the width direction of the flow path member 22. This improves the bonding strength between the flow path member 22 and the lid-like member 24.

[0066] Furthermore, the damming portion 26 may be positioned up to the edge of the flow path member 22 so as to be spaced away from the flow path portion 224. This makes it even more difficult for ink to enter the interior of the liquid supply member 30, even if ink gets into a gap at the end of the liquid supply member 30. This makes it even more difficult for short circuits to occur in the wiring and the like inside the liquid supply member 30, further improving the reliability of the liquid supply member 30.

[0067] 4, the damming portion 26 may be located outside the head cover 29. In other words, the damming portion 26 may be located closer to the end than the head cover 29. More specifically, the damming portion 26 may be located closer to the end in the length direction of the liquid supply member 30 than the head cover 29. This makes it possible to make the liquid ejection head 8 less susceptible to ink infiltration, thereby improving the reliability of the liquid ejection head 8.

[0068] 4, the damming portion 26 may be located further outward than the heat sinks 31 and 32 (see FIG. 3). In other words, the damming portion 26 may be located closer to the end than the heat sinks 31 and 32 (see FIG. 3). More specifically, the damming portion 26 may be located closer to the end in the width direction of the liquid supply member 30 than the heat sinks 31 and 32. This makes it possible to provide a liquid ejection head 8 that is less susceptible to ink infiltration, thereby improving the reliability of the liquid ejection head 8.

[0069] Next, an example of the liquid supply member 30 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Here, the liquid supply member 30 will be described as an example in which the liquid supply member 30 is a resin member joined by laser welding.

[0070] Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a liquid supply member according to an embodiment, and Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a lid member according to an embodiment.

[0071] The material of the flow path member 22 as the first member may be, for example, a light-absorbing resin that absorbs laser light. The material of the lid-shaped member 24 as the second member may be, for example, a light-transmitting resin that transmits laser light. The laser light is irradiated from a first surface 241 of the lid-shaped member 24 located on the opposite side from the flow path member 22, and a joint portion 25 (see FIG. 4 ) and a dam portion 26 are formed at the interface between the flow path member 22 and the lid-shaped member 24.

[0072] The lid-like member 24 may have a first portion 24a that covers the periphery of the edge of the flow path member 22. As shown in Fig. 9, the first portions 24a are located outward from both ends of the flow path member 22 along the X-axis direction. When a laser is irradiated onto the end of the flow path member 22, the flow path member 22 may expand and protrude from the edge of the flow path member 22. Even in such a case, the presence of the first portion 24a makes it possible to reduce the possibility of the laser directly hitting the light-absorbing resin protruding from the edge of the flow path member 22 and causing overheating, for example.

[0073] Note that the first portion 24a of the lid-shaped member 24, which is located outside the damming portion 26, may have a surface roughness greater than that of the other portions of the second member, that is, the lid-shaped member 24. For example, the first surface 241 of the lid-shaped member 24 located at the first portion 24a may have a surface roughness greater than that of the other portions of the first surface 241. This reduces the intensity of the laser light that passes through the first portion 24a, and can reduce overheating of the light-absorbing resin that protrudes from the edge of the flow path member 22.

[0074] The surface roughness refers to the surface roughness measured in accordance with, for example, JIS B 0601 (2013). A contact surface roughness meter or a non-contact surface roughness meter can be used for the measurement. The measurement conditions may be, for example, a measurement length of 0.4 mm, a cutoff value of 0.08 mm, a spot diameter of 0.4 μm, and a scanning speed of 1 mm / sec. The measurement conditions may be set as appropriate.

[0075] Furthermore, although an example in which the surface roughness of the first surface 241 of the lid-shaped member 24 is increased has been shown, the surface roughness of the surface opposite to the first surface 241 of the lid-shaped member 24 may also be increased.

[0076] 9, the damming portion 26 may be located in a stepped region on the edge of the flow path member 22. That is, the damming portion 26 may be located inside the side surface 220 of the flow path member 22. This makes it difficult for the liquid supply member 30 to become large, even when the lid-like member 24 has the first portion 24a.

[0077] <Other Embodiments> Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of a flow path member according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 10, the damming portion 26 may be positioned so as to surround the opening 223. The damming portion 26 may further include damming portions 26a and 26b positioned on the opposite side of the opening 223 from the joint portion 25. This seals the periphery of the opening 223, making it even more difficult for ink to enter the interior of the liquid supply member 30 even if ink gets into a gap at the end of the liquid supply member 30. This makes it even more difficult for short circuits to occur in the wiring and the like inside the liquid supply member 30, further improving the reliability of the liquid supply member 30.

[0078] [Other Embodiments] In the above-described embodiment, the liquid ejection head 8 has been described as having the heat sinks 31 and 32, but it may have only one of the heat sinks 31 and 32. In such a case, the flow path member 22 may have only the notch 221 corresponding to the heat sink that the liquid ejection head 8 has.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the flow path member 22 has been described as having two openings 223, but it may have only one opening 223. In such a case, the connecting member 35 inserted into the opening 223 can also be one corresponding to the opening 223.

[0080] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the liquid supply member 30 supplies ink to the ejection member 21. However, the liquid supply member 30 may also recover ink from the ejection member 21. In this case, the liquid supply member 30 is provided with two separate flow paths: a supply flow path that supplies ink supplied from the first flow path 27 to the ejection member 21, and a recovery flow path that recovers unejected ink from the ejection member 21 and sends it to the second flow path 28. The supply flow path may have, for example, substantially the same structure as the flow path 30A (flow path portion 224) in the above-described embodiment, but it is not necessary to provide a flow path directly connected to the second flow path 28. In FIG. 5 , the supply flow path does not need to have a portion extending in the positive direction of the Y axis from the center of the flow path portion 224 in the Y axis direction. The recovery flow path may be configured by covering a recess provided in the flow path member 22 with a lid-like member 24, similar to the flow path 30A. In this case, the recess connected to second flow path 28, which serves as the recovery flow path, may have a structure similar to the portion extending in the positive direction of the Y axis from the center of flow path portion 224 in the Y axis direction in Fig. 5. Then, a joint portion 25 may be provided around the recess of flow path member 22, which serves as the recovery flow path, and further, a dam portion 26 may be provided so as to extend from joint portion 25, as in Fig. 5. The liquid recovered from second flow path 28 is supplied to first flow path 27, for example, through a filter (not shown).

[0081] As described above, the liquid supply member 30 according to the embodiment has a first member (e.g., flow path member 22), a second member (e.g., lid-like member 24), a flow path 30A, a joint 25, an opening 223, and a damming portion 26. The flow path 30A is located between the first member and the second member. The joint 25 is located at the interface between the first member and the second member and surrounds the flow path 30A. The opening 223 communicates with the interior. The damming portion 26 is located between the opening 223 and the outside 40. This allows the liquid supply member 30 according to the embodiment to have high reliability.

[0082] Further advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0083] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Printer 8 Liquid ejection head 14 Control unit 21 Ejection member 21A Nozzle 22 Flow path member 23 Pressurizing unit 24 Lid-like member 25 Joint 26 Damming unit 29 Head cover 30 Liquid supply member 30A Flow path 31, 32 Heat sink 33 Connector 34 Driving member (driving substrate) 35 Connection member (flexible substrate) 36 Driving IC 223 Opening

Claims

1. A first member having a wiring located inside and an opening communicating with the inside, a second member forming a flow path between the first member and the second member, a joint portion located at the boundary between the first member and the second member and surrounding the flow path, a weir portion located at the boundary and outside the opening and having a liquid supply member.

2. The weir portion extends in a direction intersecting from the joint portion The liquid supply member according to claim 1.

3. The weir portion is located up to the edge of the first member The liquid supply member according to claim 1.

4. The weir portion is a laser welding portion, The second member has a first portion covering the periphery of the edge of the first member The liquid supply member according to claim 1.

5. The first portion located outside the weir portion has a larger surface roughness than other portions of the second member The liquid supply member according to claim 4.

6. The weir portion surrounds the periphery of the opening The liquid supply member according to claim 1.

7. The liquid supply member according to claim 1, a pressurizing member, a driving member for driving the pressurizing member, a head cover covering the driving member and having, The weir portion is located outside the head cover A liquid ejection head.

8. The opening of the liquid supply member communicates with the pressurizing member The liquid ejection head according to claim 7.

9. The liquid supply member according to claim 1, a pressurizing member, a drive IC that supplies a signal to the pressurizing member, and a heat sink that radiates heat of the drive IC to the outside and having, wherein the weir portion is located outside the heat sink liquid ejection head.

10. The opening of the liquid supply member communicates with the pressurizing member The liquid ejection head according to claim 9.

11. A recording apparatus comprising the liquid ejection head according to any one of claims 7 to 10.