Droplet discharge head and recording device

Abstract

A droplet discharge head according to the present disclosure is provided with a flow path member, a reservoir, a tube, and an auxiliary member. The flow path member has a plurality of discharge holes from which droplets are discharged. The reservoir is positioned above the flow path member, supplies a liquid to the flow path member, and has a boss part made of resin into which the tube is inserted and fitted. The tube supplies a liquid to the reservoir. The auxiliary member has a first through-hole that surrounds, via a gap, the tube inserted and fitted into the boss part.

Description

Droplet ejection head and recording device

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

[0002] Conventionally, droplet ejection heads have been known as printing heads, for example, that perform various types of printing by ejecting liquid supplied from an ink tank through a tube onto a recording medium. Patent Document 1 discloses an inkjet head that has a joint member fixed to the head body with screws, and in which a tube is inserted into a metal pipe provided in the joint member.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-106092

[0004] A droplet ejection head according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a flow path member, a reservoir, a tube, and an auxiliary member. The flow path member has a plurality of ejection holes through which droplets are ejected. The reservoir is located above the flow path member, supplies liquid to the flow path member, and has a resin boss portion into which the tube is inserted. The tube supplies liquid to the reservoir. The auxiliary member has a first through hole that surrounds the tube inserted into the boss portion via a gap.

[0005] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a printer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the printer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a droplet ejection head according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of an auxiliary member and its peripheral members according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an auxiliary member and its peripheral members according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a view showing the configuration of an auxiliary member according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view showing the configuration of a head cover according to the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an auxiliary member according to a second embodiment.

[0006] Hereinafter, a droplet ejection head and a recording apparatus according to the present disclosure (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments") will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, the embodiments can be appropriately combined as long as the processing content is not contradictory. Furthermore, the same components in the following embodiments will be assigned the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0007] 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 or installation precision.

[0008] In addition, in the drawings referred to below, for ease of understanding, an orthogonal coordinate system may be shown in which the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction, which are perpendicular to each other, are defined, and the positive Z-axis direction is the vertically upward direction.

[0009] Conventionally, the reservoir of a droplet ejection head has been made of metal, and a metal pipe is attached to the metal reservoir with a screw or the like, and a tube is inserted into the pipe.

[0010] In recent years, the formation of reservoirs from resin has been considered. When the reservoir is formed from resin, it is easy to integrally mold a boss portion, which replaces the conventional pipe configuration, with the reservoir. However, since a resin boss portion has lower bending strength than a metal boss portion, it is prone to breakage when a force is applied in a direction that bends the boss portion. Breaking of the boss portion is particularly likely to occur when a tube is inserted into the boss portion. Breaking of the boss portion may also occur during use of the droplet ejection head.

[0011] Therefore, there is a need for a technology that can reduce the breakage of the boss portion.

[0012] (First embodiment) <Printer configuration> First, an overview of a printer 1, which is an example of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment, will be described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of the printer 1 according to the first embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of the printer 1 according to the first embodiment. The printer 1 according to the first embodiment is, for example, a color inkjet printer.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 1 includes a paper feed roller 2, a guide roller 3, an applicator 4, a head case 5, a plurality of conveying rollers 6, a plurality of frames 7, a plurality of droplet ejection heads 8, a conveying roller 9, a dryer 10, a conveying roller 11, a sensor unit 12, and a recovery roller 13.

[0014] Furthermore, the printer 1 has a control unit 14 that controls the paper feed roller 2, guide roller 3, coater 4, head case 5, multiple conveying rollers 6, multiple frames 7, multiple droplet ejection heads 8, conveying roller 9, dryer 10, conveying roller 11, sensor unit 12, and recovery roller 13.

[0015] The printer 1 records images or 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 then transports the printing paper P from the paper feed roller 2, via a guide roller 3 and a coater 4, into the interior 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 droplet 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 droplet ejection heads 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 along the transport direction of the print paper P.

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

[0021] A liquid, such as ink, is supplied from a liquid tank (not shown) to the droplet discharge head 8. The droplet discharge head 8 discharges droplets of liquid supplied from the liquid tank.

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

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

[0024] That is, the printer 1 according to the first embodiment is a so-called line printer in which the droplet ejection head 8 is fixed inside the printer 1. Note that the printer 1 according to the first embodiment is not limited to a line printer, and may also be a so-called serial printer. A serial printer is a printer that alternates between recording while moving the droplet ejection head 8 back and forth in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the printing paper P, for example, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction, and transporting the printing paper P.

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

[0026] A head group 8A is made up of multiple droplet ejection heads 8 positioned on one frame 7. The four head groups 8A are positioned along the transport direction of the printing paper P. The same color ink is supplied to droplet 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 head group 8A are, for example, magenta (M), yellow (Y), cyan (C), and black (K). The control unit 14 controls each head group 8A to eject 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 droplet ejection head 8 .

[0029] Furthermore, the number of droplet ejection heads 8 included in one head group 8A, or the number of head groups 8A mounted on the printer 1, can be changed as appropriate depending on the object to be printed or the printing conditions. For example, if a single color is printed on the printing paper P and the printing area is to be printed with one droplet ejection head 8, the number of droplet 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 reduce adhesion between overlapping printing paper P wound up on the recovery roller 13 and rubbing of undried liquid.

[0032] The sensor unit 12 is configured with 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 uses printing paper P as the printing object (i.e., recording medium), but the printing object of the printer 1 is not limited to printing paper P. For example, the printing object may 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, etc.

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

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

[0037] The wiping process is a process of removing liquid adhering to the droplet ejection head 8 by wiping the surface of the area where droplets are 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 droplets are to be ejected (this process is called capping). As a result, a nearly sealed space is formed between the surface onto which droplets are to be ejected and the cap.

[0039] Next, droplets are repeatedly ejected in this sealed space, which makes it possible to remove liquid with a higher viscosity than normal or foreign matter that has clogged the ejection holes (nozzles) that eject droplets.

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

[0041] The droplet ejection head 8 includes a head main body 20, a tube 60 (see FIG. 6), a wiring section 30, a head cover 40, two heat sinks 45, and two heat insulating members 50. The head main body 20 includes a flow path member 21, a piezoelectric actuator substrate (not shown), a branch flow path member 23, and a reservoir 24.

[0042] In the following description, for convenience, the direction in which the head body 20 is provided in the droplet ejection head 8 may be referred to as "downward," and the direction in which the head cover 40 is provided relative to the head body 20 may be referred to as "upward."

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

[0044] The second surface has a plurality of ejection holes (not shown) that eject droplets onto the printing paper P. The flow path member 21 has therein a flow path that allows the liquid to flow from the first surface to the second surface.

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

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

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

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

[0049] When printing, liquid may be supplied from one tube 60 while the other tube 60 is closed. Alternatively, liquid may be supplied from both tubes 60. When initially introducing liquid into the droplet ejection head 8, if the liquid is supplied from one tube 60 and collected from the other tube 60, air and storage liquid that were in the flow path inside the reservoir 24 can be easily removed from the flow path, making it easier to introduce the liquid into the droplet ejection head 8.

[0050] Furthermore, during printing, liquid may be supplied from one tube 60 and collected from the other tube 60. In this way, air bubbles are less likely to accumulate in the flow path inside the reservoir 24. Furthermore, by supplying liquid adjusted to a constant temperature, the temperature of the droplet ejection head 8 can be stabilized. The collected liquid may be passed through a filter or the like and then supplied again to the droplet ejection head 8. In other words, the liquid may be circulated. The supply and collection of liquid to the droplet ejection head 8, or the circulation of the liquid, may be controlled by the control unit 14.

[0051] Furthermore, liquid may be supplied from the reservoir 24 to the flow path member 21, and liquid may be recovered from the flow path member 21 to the reservoir 24. Furthermore, liquid may be supplied to and recovered from the flow path facing the nozzles (ejection holes) within the flow path member 21, so that liquid is less likely to stagnate within the nozzles and their surroundings. In such an embodiment, liquid is supplied from the outside to the droplet ejection head 8 as a whole, some of the liquid is ejected from the ejection holes, and the liquid that is not ejected is recovered externally.

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

[0053] One end of the flexible substrate 31 is electrically connected to the piezoelectric actuator substrate of the head body 20. The other end of the flexible substrate 31 is drawn upward through a slit portion of the branch flow path member 23 and is electrically connected to the wiring substrate 32. This allows electrical connection between the piezoelectric actuator substrate 22 of the head body 20 and the outside.

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

[0055] The plurality of driver ICs 33 are located on one main surface of the flexible substrate 31. As shown in Fig. 3, in the droplet ejection head 8 according to the first embodiment, two driver ICs 33 are provided on each flexible substrate 31. Note that the number of driver ICs 33 provided on each flexible substrate 31 is not limited to two. The driver ICs 33 are an example of a drive control unit.

[0056] The driver IC 33 drives each displacement element on the piezoelectric actuator substrate of the head main body 20 based on a drive signal sent from the control unit 14 (see FIG. 1 ). In this way, the driver IC 33 drives the droplet ejection head 8.

[0057] The pressing member 34 is, for example, a leaf spring having a substantially U-shaped cross section. The pressing member 34 is located between the two flexible substrates 31 and presses the driver IC 33 on the flexible substrate 31 toward the heat sink 45. This brings the driver IC 33 into close contact with the heat sink 45, allowing heat generated when the driver IC 33 is driven to be efficiently dissipated to the heat sink 45. The pressing member 34 is an example of a flat plate-shaped first member located between the reservoir 24 and the head cover 40. Details of the pressing member 34 will be described later. The pressing member 34 may also bring the driver IC 33 into contact with the heat sink 45.

[0058] The head cover 40 is attached to the head body 20 and is arranged so as to cover the wiring section 30, such as the flexible substrate 31 and the wiring substrate 32, located on the head body 20. This allows the head cover 40 to seal the wiring section 30. The head cover 40 is made of, for example, resin or metal.

[0059] The head cover 40 has a box shape that extends long in the main scanning direction and has a first opening 40a and a second opening 40b on two side surfaces that face each other in the sub-scanning direction. In the example of Fig. 3, the first opening 40a is provided on the side surface located on the positive side of the X axis, and the second opening 40b is provided on the side surface located on the negative side of the X axis. The head cover 40 also has a third opening 40c on its bottom surface and a fourth opening 40d on its top surface.

[0060] Two first protrusions 42 for attaching auxiliary members 70 (described later) are provided on the side surface of the head cover 40. In addition, a second protrusion 43 for positioning the pressing member 34 is provided on the lower part of the side surface having the first protrusions 42.

[0061] The two heat sinks 45 are attached to the side surfaces of the head cover 40. One of the two heat sinks 45 is disposed so as to cover the first opening 40a, and the other is disposed so as to cover the second opening 40b.

[0062] The heat sink 45 is, for example, a plate-like member that is long in the longitudinal direction of the droplet ejection head 8, and is made of a metal or alloy with high heat dissipation properties. The heat sink 45 has a thermal conductivity of, for example, 1 / 4 .mu.m. The heat sink 45 is provided so as to be in contact with the driver IC 33, and dissipates heat generated by the driver IC 33.

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

[0064] The third opening 40c is positioned to face the reservoir 24. The flexible substrate 31 is inserted into the third opening 40c.

[0065] The fourth opening 40d is provided for inserting a connector (not shown) provided on the wiring board 32. If the space between the connector and the fourth opening 40d is sealed with resin or the like, it becomes difficult for liquid or dust to enter the inside of the head cover 40.

[0066] The heat sink 45 has through holes 48a to 48c at the center and both ends in the longitudinal direction of the head body 20. The heat sink 45 and the heat insulating member 50 are fitted together by fitting protrusions 54 of the heat insulating member 50, which will be described later, into the through holes 48a to 48c.

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

[0068] The heat insulating member 50 also has a plurality of through holes 55 for accommodating screws (not shown). These through holes 55 are located at positions corresponding to the through holes 245 of the reservoir 24. The heat insulating member 50 is fixed to the reservoir 24 by fitting the screws into the through holes 55 of the heat insulating member 50 and the through holes 245 of the reservoir 24.

[0069] 3 shows an example of the configuration of the droplet ejection head 8, and may further include members other than those shown in FIG.

[0070] As described above, in the droplet ejection head 8 according to the first embodiment, the tube 60 is connected to the reservoir 24 by being inserted into the resin boss portion 247, and liquid is supplied from the tube 60 to the reservoir 24. Here, the resin boss portion 247 has lower bending strength than the metal boss portions that have been used conventionally, and is therefore prone to breaking when a force is applied in a direction that bends the boss portion 247.

[0071] Therefore, the droplet ejection head 8 according to the first embodiment further includes an auxiliary member 70 that reinforces the boss portion 247. The auxiliary member 70 and its peripheral members will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the auxiliary member 70 and its peripheral members according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the auxiliary member 70 and its peripheral members according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a view showing the configuration of the auxiliary member 70 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view showing the configuration of the head cover 40 according to the first embodiment. Note that in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tube 60 is omitted for ease of understanding.

[0072] The auxiliary member 70 is, for example, an injection-molded product made of resin. The auxiliary member 70 has a bottom portion 70a, an attachment portion 70b, and a sidewall portion 70c connecting the bottom portion 70a and the attachment portion 70b. The bottom portion 70a faces the reservoir 24 and has a first through-hole 71. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the first through-hole 71 is located radially outward of the boss portion 247 and surrounds the boss portion 247 and the tube 60 inserted into the boss portion 247 via a gap 71a. The diameter of the first through-hole 71 is, for example, the diameter of the tube 60 inserted into the boss portion 247 plus 0.4 mm or less.

[0073] With this configuration, even if a force is applied in a direction that bends the boss portion 247, the force can be received by the auxiliary member 70, thereby reducing the risk of bending the boss portion 247. The bending direction of the boss portion 247 is a direction that intersects with the axis of the boss portion 247. For example, if the direction along the axis of the boss portion 247 is defined as the vertical direction of the boss portion 247, the bending direction of the boss portion 247 may be a horizontal direction or a direction that includes a horizontal component.

[0074] The mounting portion 70b faces the head cover 40 and has a mounting surface for mounting to the head cover 40. As shown in Fig. 7, the mounting portion 70b has two through holes 72 into which the first protrusions 42 of the head cover 40 are fitted, a through hole 73 that accommodates a screw 85 (see Fig. 5), and a recess 74 located on the mounting surface for mounting to the head cover 40. The recess 74 is, for example, a gate mark.

[0075] The through-holes 72 are located at positions corresponding to the first protrusions 42 located on the side surfaces of the head cover 40. As shown in Figure 5, the first protrusions 42 of the head cover 40 are fitted into the through-holes 72, thereby positioning the auxiliary member 70.

[0076] The through-holes 73 are located at positions corresponding to the through-holes 44 of the head cover 40. As shown in Figure 5, the auxiliary member 70 is fixed to the head cover 40 by fitting the screws 85 into the through-holes 73 of the auxiliary member 70 and the through-holes 44 of the head cover 40.

[0077] A waterproofing material 80 may be positioned between the mounting portion 70b of the auxiliary member 70 and the head cover 40. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7 , the waterproofing material 80 is arranged to seal the periphery of the through-hole 73 of the auxiliary member 70 and the through-hole 44 of the head cover 40. The waterproofing material 80 may also be arranged to cover the recessed portion 74 of the auxiliary member 70. During molding of the auxiliary member 70, the portion facing the mold undergoes crystallization due to the temperature of the mold, increasing its strength. On the other hand, the portion not facing the mold (the gate portion) is less likely to crystallize and is relatively weaker in strength, resulting in relatively low resistance to ink. Therefore, the recessed portion 74, which is the gate mark, can be protected by covering it with the waterproofing material 80. The waterproofing material 80 may be, for example, double-sided waterproof tape.

[0078] The side wall portion 70c connects the bottom portion 70a and the mounting portion 70b. The side wall portion 70c has a substantially triangular shape. By providing the auxiliary member 70 with the side wall portion 70c, the strength of the droplet ejection head 8 can be improved.

[0079] The peripheral components of the auxiliary member 70 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. As shown in FIG. 4, the reservoir 24 includes a reservoir body 241 and an upper lid 242 positioned on top of the reservoir body 241. The reservoir body 241 and the upper lid 242 are made of resin. The reservoir body 241 includes an opening 244 and a positioning protrusion 246. The opening 244 and the protrusion 246 are located at both longitudinal ends of the reservoir body 241. Specifically, the protrusion 246 is located further inward in the longitudinal direction of the reservoir body 241 than the opening 244. The opening 244 is provided at a position corresponding to a boss 247 (see FIG. 6).

[0080] The top cover 242 includes the boss portion 247 and the third through hole 248. The boss portion 247 and the third through hole 248 are located at both longitudinal ends of the top cover 242. Specifically, the third through hole 248 is located more inward than the boss portion 247 in the longitudinal direction of the top cover 242.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 6, the boss portion 247 has a hollow shape and is located at a position corresponding to the opening 244 of the reservoir body 241 .

[0082] As shown in FIG. 6 , a large-diameter portion 247a having a larger diameter than the other portions of the boss portion 247 may be located in the middle of the boss portion 247. Here, the middle portion of the boss portion 247 refers to the area excluding the base portion of the boss portion 247. For example, if the boss portion 247 is divided into three equal parts in the longitudinal direction, the area closest to the top cover 242 is the base portion of the boss portion 247, and the other two areas are the middle portion. The large-diameter portion 247a functions as a "return" to reduce the likelihood of the tube 60 coming off. As shown in FIG. 6 , the first through hole 71 of the auxiliary member 70 faces the large-diameter portion 247a. Specifically, the first through hole 71 faces the uppermost large-diameter portion 247a of the three large-diameter portions 247a of the boss portion 247.

[0083] By providing the auxiliary member 70 with the first through-hole 71, even if a force is applied in a direction that bends the boss portion 247, the force can be received by the auxiliary member 70, reducing the risk of bending the boss portion 247. Furthermore, as described above, if the first through-hole 71 is located opposite the large diameter portion 247a, the large diameter portion 247a comes into contact with the auxiliary member 70 first and receives the force, so stress is less likely to be applied to the base portion of the boss portion 247.

[0084] The third through-hole 248 is located at a position corresponding to the protrusion 246 of the reservoir body 241 .

[0085] As shown in FIG. 4 , the pressing member 34 includes a second through hole 35, a positioning groove 36, and a third through hole 37. The second through hole 35, the groove 36, and the third through hole 37 are located at both longitudinal ends of the pressing member 34. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 , the groove 36 is located more inward in the longitudinal direction of the pressing member 34 than the second through hole 35. The third through hole 37 is located more inward in the longitudinal direction of the pressing member 34 than the groove 36. The second through hole 35 is located at a position corresponding to the boss portion 247. As shown in FIG. 6 , the boss portion 247 is inserted into the second through hole 35.

[0086] The groove 36 is located at a position corresponding to the second protrusion 43 of the head cover 40. As shown in Fig. 6, the second protrusion 43 of the head cover 40 is fitted into the groove 36, thereby positioning the head cover 40. This reduces variation in bending accuracy of the head cover 40. The groove 36 may also pass through the pressing member 34.

[0087] The third through-hole 37 is located at a position corresponding to the protrusion 246 of the reservoir body 241. The protrusion 246 of the reservoir body 241 is inserted into the third through-hole 248 of the upper lid 242 and the third through-hole 37 of the pressing member 34, thereby positioning the upper lid 242 and the pressing member 34.

[0088] As described above, the auxiliary member 70 in the droplet ejection head 8 according to the first embodiment is located radially outward of the boss portion 247, and has the first through-hole 71 that surrounds, via a gap 71a, the boss portion 247 and the tube 60 inserted into the boss portion 247. Therefore, even if a force is applied in a direction that bends the boss portion 247, the force can be received by the auxiliary member 70, thereby reducing the risk of the boss portion 247 breaking.

[0089] Although an example in which the reservoir 24 includes the reservoir body 241 and the upper lid 242 has been described here, the configuration of the reservoir 24 is not limited to this. For example, the reservoir body 241 and the upper lid 242 may be integrally molded. In this case, the integrally molded reservoir 24 may be made of resin.

[0090] Although the example in which the reservoir 24 has the boss portion 247, i.e., the boss portion 247 is molded integrally with the reservoir 24, has been described here, the configuration of the boss portion 247 is not limited to this. For example, the boss portion 247 may be configured as a separate member from the reservoir 24.

[0091] Second Embodiment <Shape of Auxiliary Member> Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an auxiliary member 90 according to a second embodiment. The shape of the auxiliary member is not limited to the shape shown in Fig. 5 . As shown in Fig. 9 , the auxiliary member 90 may have a U-shape. The auxiliary member 90 is fixed to the pressing member 34 by a screw or the like. In this case as well, the auxiliary member 70 has a first through-hole 91 that is located radially outward of the boss portion 247 and surrounds the boss portion 247 and a tube (not shown) inserted into the boss portion 247 via a gap.

[0092] In one embodiment, (1) a droplet ejection head (for example, droplet ejection head 8) includes a flow path member (for example, flow path member 21), a reservoir (for example, reservoir 24), a tube (for example, tube 60), and an auxiliary member (for example, auxiliary member 70). The flow path member has a plurality of ejection holes from which droplets are ejected. The reservoir is located above the flow path member, supplies liquid to the flow path member, and has a resin boss portion (for example, boss portion 247) into which the tube is inserted. The tube supplies liquid to the reservoir. The auxiliary member has a first through hole (for example, first through hole 71) that surrounds the boss portion and the tube inserted into the boss portion via a gap (for example, gap 71a).

[0093] (2) The droplet ejection head of (1) above may further include a head cover (for example, the head cover 40) positioned above the reservoir, and the auxiliary member may be attached to the head cover.

[0094] (3) The droplet ejection head of (2) above further includes a flat first member (for example, a pressing member 34) located between the reservoir and the head cover, the first member having a second through hole (for example, a second through hole 35) at a position corresponding to the boss portion and a positioning groove portion (for example, a groove portion 36) located longitudinally inward of the reservoir than the second through hole, and the head cover may have a convex portion (for example, a second convex portion 43) at a position corresponding to the groove portion.

[0095] (4) The droplet ejection head of (3) above further includes a drive control unit (for example, a driver IC 33) that controls the drive of the head body, and a heat sink (for example, a heat sink 45) attached to the side of the head cover, and the first member presses the driver IC against the heat sink.

[0096] (5) In the droplet ejection head of (4) above, the reservoir comprises a reservoir body (for example, reservoir body 241) and an upper lid (for example, upper lid 242) located on the reservoir body, the reservoir body has a positioning protrusion (for example, protrusion 246), and the upper lid and the pressing member may have a third through hole (for example, third through hole 248, third through hole 37) at a position corresponding to the protrusion.

[0097] (6) In any one of the droplet ejection heads described above in (2) to (4), the auxiliary member and the head cover may be fixed by a screw (for example, screw 85), and a waterproof material (for example, waterproof material 80) may be positioned between the auxiliary member and the head cover.

[0098] (7) In the droplet ejection head of (6) above, the auxiliary member is an injection-molded resin product and has a recess (for example, recess 74) located on the mounting surface to the head cover, and the waterproof material may cover the recess.

[0099] (8) In the droplet ejection head of (7) above, the waterproof material may be a double-sided waterproof tape.

[0100] (9) In any one of the droplet ejection heads described in (1) to (8) above, a large diameter portion (for example, large diameter portion 247a) having a larger diameter than other portions of the boss portion is located in the middle of the boss portion, and the first through hole may be located in a position opposite the large diameter portion.

[0101] (10) In any one of the droplet ejection heads (2) to (8) above, the auxiliary member may have a bottom portion (for example, bottom portion 70a) facing the reservoir and having a first through hole, an attachment portion (for example, attachment portion 70b) facing the head cover and having an attachment surface to the head cover, and a side wall portion (for example, side wall portion 70c) connecting the bottom portion and the attachment portion.

[0102] (11) A recording device (for example, printer 1) may include a droplet ejection head described in any one of (1) to (10) above, and a control unit (for example, control unit 14) that controls the droplet ejection head.

[0103] The disclosed embodiments should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Indeed, the above-described embodiments may be embodied in various forms. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

[0104] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 printer 6 transport roller 7 frame 8 droplet ejection head 20 head body 21 flow path member 23 branch flow path member 24 reservoir 30 wiring portion 33 driver IC 34 pressing member 35 second through hole 36 groove portion 37 third through hole 40 head cover 43 second convex portion 45 heat sink 50 heat insulating member 60 tube 70 auxiliary member 70a bottom portion 70b mounting portion 70c side wall portion 71 first through hole 71a gap 74 recessed portion 80 waterproof material 85 screw 241 reservoir body 242 upper cover 246 protrusion portion 247 boss portion 248 third through hole 247a large diameter portion

Claims

1. a flow path member having a plurality of discharge holes through which droplets are discharged; a reservoir located above the flow path member and supplying liquid to the flow path member; a tube for supplying the liquid to the reservoir; An auxiliary member; Equipped with the reservoir has a resin boss portion into which the tube is inserted and which is integral with at least a portion of the reservoir; The auxiliary member has a first through-hole that surrounds the tube inserted into the boss portion via a gap.

2. A flow path member having a plurality of discharge holes through which droplets are discharged; a reservoir located above the flow path member and supplying liquid to the flow path member; a tube for supplying the liquid to the reservoir; An auxiliary member; Equipped with the reservoir has a resin boss portion into which the tube is inserted and which protrudes from an upper surface of the reservoir; The auxiliary member has a first through-hole that surrounds the tube inserted into the boss portion via a gap.

3. A flow path member having a plurality of discharge holes through which droplets are discharged; a reservoir located above the flow path member and supplying liquid to the flow path member; a tube for supplying the liquid to the reservoir; An auxiliary member; Equipped with the reservoir has a resin boss portion into which the tube is inserted, The auxiliary member has a first through-hole that surrounds the boss portion and the tube that is inserted into the boss portion, with a gap therebetween.

4. a head cover positioned over the reservoir; 4. The droplet ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary member is attached to the head cover.

5. The head cover further includes a flat plate-shaped first member positioned between the reservoir and the head cover, the first member has a second through hole at a position corresponding to the boss portion, and a positioning groove portion located more inward in the longitudinal direction of the reservoir than the second through hole; The droplet ejection head according to claim 4 , wherein the head cover has a protrusion at a position corresponding to the groove.

6. a drive control unit that controls the drive of the head body; a heat sink attached to the side of the head cover; Furthermore, The droplet ejection head according to claim 5 , wherein the first member presses the drive control unit against the heat sink.

7. The reservoir comprises a reservoir body and a top cover positioned on the reservoir body; The reservoir body has a positioning protrusion, The droplet ejection head according to claim 6 , wherein the upper cover and the first member have third through holes at positions corresponding to the protrusions.

8. The auxiliary member and the head cover are fixed together by screws, The droplet ejection head according to claim 4 , wherein a waterproof material is positioned between the auxiliary member and the head cover.

9. the auxiliary member is an injection-molded resin product and has a recess located on a mounting surface for mounting to the head cover; The droplet ejection head according to claim 8 , wherein the waterproof material covers the recess.

10. The droplet ejection head according to claim 8 , wherein the waterproof material is a double-sided waterproof tape.

11. a large-diameter portion having a diameter larger than that of other portions of the boss portion is located in the middle of the boss portion, 4. The droplet ejection head according to claim 1, wherein the first through-hole faces the large diameter portion.

12. The auxiliary member is a bottom portion facing the reservoir and having the first through-hole; an attachment portion facing the head cover and having an attachment surface to the head cover; a side wall portion connecting the bottom portion and the mounting portion; The droplet ejection head according to claim 4 , comprising:

13. A droplet ejection head according to any one of claims 1 to 3; a control unit that controls the droplet ejection head; A recording device comprising: