Nozzle plate structure

Abstract

A nozzle plate structure adapted for an inkjet chip is disclosed and includes a nozzle plate main body and an opaque layer. The opaque layer is disposed on an upper side or both of the upper side and a lower side of the nozzle plate main body. The opaque layer is corrosion-resistant and allows the ink cartridge to be cleaned by using a solvent-based cleaning agent or alcohol, thereby achieving convenient cleaning and improved durability.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a nozzle plate structure and an inkjet chip structure applicable thereto, particularly a nozzle plate structure that is corrosion resistant and makes it easier to clean the ink cartridge using solvents, cleaning agents or alcohol. [Previous Technology]

[0002] To date, inkjet printing technology has developed to the point where the methods for controlling the inkjet head to release ink droplets onto the inkjet medium can be broadly divided into two main categories. One is thermal bubble inkjet technology, which operates by using a heating resistor (thin film resistor) to heat some of the ink to generate bubbles, thereby expelling the ink and spraying it through multiple nozzles onto the inkjet medium. The other is piezo-electric technology, which utilizes the piezoelectric properties of piezoelectric materials to propel ink out of the nozzle when energized.

[0003] Because each type of inkjet printing technology requires a unique printhead, and each printhead has its own specific specifications, including printhead structure, ink used, number of nozzles, and inkjet control circuitry, a compatible printing system is required to complete the printing work correctly. Generally speaking, current inkjet printers are equipped with ink cartridges that can simultaneously hold two or more ink cartridges (e.g., black ink cartridges and color ink cartridges). However, the printhead specifications for color ink cartridges and black ink cartridges are different.

[0004] However, conventional ink cartridges, after prolonged use or heavy printing, are prone to accumulating dirt due to ink residue and dust buildup. If not cleaned promptly, this dirt buildup can affect the normal operation of the printhead and reduce print quality. However, because the nozzle plates on the inkjet chip of conventional ink cartridges are made of plastic, they are very sensitive to corrosive or solvent-based cleaning agents. Using these cleaning agents or solvents to clean the ink cartridge can corrode and damage the nozzle plates, which is why ink cartridges cannot be effectively cleaned with cleaning agents or solvents, leading to cleaning difficulties and shortening the ink cartridge's lifespan. [Summary of the Invention]

[0005] In order to effectively solve the above problems, one of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a nozzle plate structure with a corrosion-resistant opaque layer on the surface of the nozzle plate, which makes the nozzle plate with the opaque layer applicable to various ink cartridges. It not only prevents corrosion, but also makes it more convenient and durable for cleaning ink cartridges with solvents, cleaning agents or alcohol.

[0006] One objective of the present invention is to provide a nozzle plate structure that can extend the service life of ink cartridges and improve printing quality.

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a nozzle sheet structure applicable to an inkjet chip. The nozzle sheet structure includes a nozzle sheet body and an opaque layer. The nozzle sheet body has an upper side and a lower side opposite to the upper side, and a plurality of nozzles are provided on the nozzle sheet body. The plurality of nozzles are formed by penetrating from the upper side to the lower side of the nozzle sheet body. The opaque layer is disposed on the upper side or both the upper and lower sides of the nozzle sheet body.

[0008] The nozzle plate of the present invention has an opaque layer on its surface, which provides corrosion protection for the nozzle plate body. This makes it suitable for use on inkjet chips of various ink cartridges, allowing for easier cleaning of the ink cartridges with solvent-based cleaners or alcohol, and also increasing durability to effectively extend the lifespan of the ink cartridges. Furthermore, keeping the ink cartridges clean helps improve print quality, thereby ensuring clearer and more accurate printed text or images.

Implementation Method

[0009] This invention will be described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments and viewpoints so that the reader can fully understand how these embodiments are implemented. However, those skilled in the art will understand that this invention can also be implemented without these details. Furthermore, this invention can also be used and implemented through other specific embodiments, and the various details set forth in this specification can be applied based on different needs, and various modifications or changes can be made without departing from the spirit of this invention. Therefore, this invention will be described with reference to preferred embodiments and viewpoints. Such descriptions are for explaining the structure of this invention and are only for illustration and not for limiting the scope of the patent application of this invention. The terminology used in the following description will be interpreted in the broadest and most reasonable way so that it can be used with the detailed description of a particular embodiment of this invention. Those skilled in the art can adjust the structure of this invention to meet the needs of actual industry according to manufacturing or application requirements, which is stated in advance.

[0010] The present invention provides a nozzle plate structure. Please refer to Figures 1, 2A, 2B and 3A. The nozzle plate structure 3 is applied to an inkjet chip 2, that is, the nozzle plate structure 3 is attached to the top surface of the inkjet chip 2 to form an inkjet chip structure 1.

[0011] The nozzle plate structure 3 has a nozzle plate body 31 and an opaque layer 33. The nozzle plate body 31 is made of plastic and has an upper side 311, a lower side 312 opposite to the upper side 311, and a plurality of nozzles 32. The plurality of nozzles 32 are formed by penetrating from the upper side 311 to the lower side 312 of the nozzle plate body 31. The opaque layer 33 is made of a corrosion-resistant metal material (such as titanium (Ti), tungsten, aluminum (Al), or chromium (Cr)), or the opaque layer 33 is made of a corrosion-resistant plastic material, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

[0012] The opaque layer 33 is disposed on the upper side 311 or lower side 312 of the nozzle plate body 31. In this preferred embodiment, the opaque layer 33 is disposed on the upper side 311 of the nozzle plate body 31. The opaque layer 33 of the nozzle plate body 31 has anti-corrosion effect, which can not only be applied to the inkjet chip of various ink cartridges, making the ink cartridges more widely used, but also makes it more convenient and durable to use solvent-based cleaning agents or alcohol for cleaning, thereby effectively extending the service life of the ink cartridges. In addition, in specific implementation, the user can design the nozzle plate body 31 to have an anti-corrosion opaque layer 33 added to the inner peripheral side of the nozzle 32 according to the sensitivity of the nozzle plate body 31 to cleaning agents and solvents. The opaque layer 33 is formed on the inner peripheral side surface of the nozzle 32 by spraying, deposition or sputtering processes, for example, to protect the inner peripheral side of the nozzle 32 from corrosion damage by corrosive cleaning agents or solvents.

[0013] Referring again to Figures 2A, 2B, 3A, and 3B, the inkjet chip 2 includes a plurality of droplet generators 21 and at least one ink supply channel 22. The ink supply channel 22 is disposed on the inkjet chip 2. In this preferred embodiment, the inkjet chip 2 is a monochrome inkjet chip 2 (such as a black inkjet chip 2) with the nozzle body 31 disposed thereon. The ink supply channel 22 is shown as one ink supply channel 22 recessed in the middle top surface of the inkjet chip 2, but it is not limited thereto. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 4, the inkjet chip 2 is a multicolor inkjet chip 2 (such as a color inkjet chip with three or more colors) with the nozzle body 31 disposed thereon, and the ink supply channels 22 are three ink supply channels 22 spaced apart on the inkjet chip 2.

[0014] The plurality of ink droplet generators 21 are disposed on the inkjet chip 2 adjacent to the at least one ink supply channel 22. The plurality of ink droplet generators 21 can be disposed on opposite sides of the ink supply channel 22 in a double-row parallel structure or an interleaved parallel structure along the length direction of the ink supply channel 22. As shown in Figure 2B, every two ink droplet generators 21 on both sides of the ink supply channel 22 are arranged in a double-row parallel manner, that is, the left ink droplet generator 21 and the right ink droplet generator 21 are arranged opposite each other at the same level. Each ink droplet generator 21 includes a wafer substrate 211, a thermal barrier layer 212, a heating resistor layer 213, a conductive layer 214, a protective layer 215, and a barrier layer 216. The wafer substrate 211, thermal barrier layer 212, heating resistor layer 213, conductive layer 214, protective layer 215, and barrier layer 216 are sequentially stacked from bottom to top to form the ink droplet generator 21. In addition, the inkjet wafer 2 has nozzles 32 arranged in a double-row parallel structure or an interleaved parallel structure, which can correspond to a resolution DPI (Dots Per Inch) range between 150 and 48000 DPI.

[0015] The upper side of the barrier layer 216 is combined with the lower side 312 of the nozzle plate body 31. The barrier layer 216 has an ink supply chamber 217 and a plurality of ink outlets 219. The plurality of ink outlets 219 are located on the upper side of the barrier layer 216 and are connected to a plurality of nozzles 32 opposite to the nozzle plate body 31. The ink supply chamber 217 is connected to the nozzles 32 opposite to the upper nozzle plate body 31 via the ink outlets 219. The ink supply chamber 217 is used to supply ink heated by a heating resistor 213a provided on the heating resistor layer 213 to form ink droplets that are ejected from the nozzles 32 through the ink outlets 219 and sprayed towards the label to be printed from the nozzles 32 of the nozzle plate body 31. Furthermore, an opening 218 is provided on the side of the barrier layer 216. The opening 218 is connected to the ink supply channel 22 and the ink supply chamber 217 respectively, so that the ink of the ink supply channel 22 can enter the ink supply chamber 217 of the ink droplet generator 21. That is, the ink of the ink supply channel 22 is supplied from the opening 218 on the side of the ink supply chamber 217 in a direction parallel to the stacked structure plane of the inkjet chip 2 (as shown in Figure 3B, the ink flows towards ink flow), so as to reduce the flow path of the ink supply and increase the speed of ink supply.

[0016] Referring to Figure 3B, the thermal barrier layer 212 is stacked on the wafer substrate 211. The heating resistor layer 213, being a resistive material, is stacked on the thermal barrier layer 212. The conductive layer 214, being a conductive material, is stacked on a portion of the heating resistor layer 213 and forms a heating resistor 213a. A portion of the protective layer 215 is stacked on another portion of the heating resistor layer 213, and another portion of the protective layer 215 is stacked on the conductive layer 214. The ink supply chamber 217 is located between the protective layer 215 and the barrier layer 216. The lower side of the barrier layer 216 is formed on the upper side of the protective layer 215.

[0017] In addition, the material of the wafer substrate 211 of the inkjet chip 2 of the present invention is a silicon wafer, the material of the barrier layer 216 is a polymer material, and the material of the thermal barrier layer 212 is an insulating material, which can be selected from one of field oxide (FOX), silicon dioxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (Si3N4), and silicon phosphorus glass (PSG). The resistive material of the heating resistor layer 213 can be selected from one of polysilicon, tantalum aluminide (TaAl), tantalum (Ta), tantalum nitride (TaN), tantalum disilicide (Si2Ta), carbon (C), silicon carbide (SiC), indium tin oxide (ITO), zinc oxide (ZnO), cadmium sulfide (CdS), hafnium diboride (HfB2), titanium-tungsten alloy (TiW), and titanium nitride (TiN).

[0018] The conductive material of the conductive layer 214 may be selected from one of the following: aluminum (Al), aluminum-copper alloy (AlCu), aluminum-silicon alloy (AlSi), gold (Au), palladium (Pd), palladium-silver alloy (PdAg), platinum (Pt), aluminum-silicon-copper (AlSiCu), niobium (Nb), vanadium (V), hafnium (Hf), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), and yttrium (Y). The protective layer 215 can be a passivation material, such as one of silicon nitride (Si3N4), silicon dioxide (SiO2), titanium dioxide (TiO2), hafnium dioxide (HfO2), zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5), rhenium heptaoxide (Re2O7), niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5), uranium pentoxide (U2O5), tungsten trioxide (WO3), silicon oxynitride (Si4O5N3), and silicon carbide (SiC); or a metallic material, such as one of tantalum (Ta), tantalum nitride (TaN), titanium nitride (TiN), and tungsten nitride (TiW). In specific implementation, the protective layer 215 can be a multi-layer protective layer 215 with multiple layers stacked on top of each other or a single-layer protective layer 215. It can be appropriately adjusted and modified according to the degree of erosion of each material by the ink, the thermal stress on the inkjet chip 2 as a whole caused by temperature changes when the heating resistor 213a is operating, and the required product life cycle of the inkjet chip 2.

[0019] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention described above, the opaque layer 33 is disposed on the upper side 311 surface of the nozzle plate body 31, but is not limited thereto. In another alternative preferred embodiment, the opaque layer 33 may be disposed on the upper side 311 and lower side 312 surfaces of the nozzle plate body 31.

[0020] Therefore, by forming an opaque layer 33 with anti-corrosion effect on the upper side 311 or the upper and lower sides 311, 312 of the nozzle plate structure 3 of the present invention, it can be widely combined with the inkjet chip 2 of various ink cartridges, making it more convenient and durable for the ink cartridge to be cleaned with solvent-based cleaning agents or alcohol, keeping the surface of the nozzle plate 3 and its nozzles 32 of the ink cartridge clean, which is beneficial to improving the overall printing quality, and also extends the service life of the ink cartridge and provides excellent cleaning convenience. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0021] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the nozzle plate structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2A is an exploded perspective view of the nozzle plate structure and inkjet chip of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2B is a schematic diagram of the nozzle plate structure combined with the inkjet chip in a monochrome inkjet chip according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3A is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the inkjet chip in Figure 2A. Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view along section line AA in Figure 3A. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the nozzle plate structure combined with the inkjet chip in a multicolor (or color) inkjet chip according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A nozzle plate structure, applicable to an inkjet chip, the nozzle plate structure comprising: A nozzle plate body has an upper side and a lower side, and a plurality of nozzles are provided on the nozzle plate body, the plurality of nozzles being formed by extending from the upper side to the lower side of the nozzle plate body; and a corrosion-resistant opaque layer is provided on the upper side and the lower side of the nozzle plate body, and on the inner peripheral surface of the nozzles.

2. The nozzle plate structure as described in claim 1, wherein the opaque layer is disposed on the upper side of the nozzle plate body.

3. The nozzle plate structure as described in claim 1, wherein the opaque layer is disposed on the upper side and the lower side of the nozzle plate body.

4. The nozzle structure as described in claim 1, wherein the opaque layer is made of a corrosion-resistant metal or a corrosion-resistant plastic.

5. The nozzle structure as described in claim 4, wherein the corrosion-resistant metal material is titanium, tungsten, aluminum or chromium.

6. An inkjet chip structure, comprising: One inkjet chip; The inkjet chip includes a nozzle plate structure disposed on the inkjet chip, the nozzle plate structure comprising: a nozzle plate body having an upper side and a lower side, and a plurality of nozzles formed on the nozzle plate body extending from the upper side to the lower side of the nozzle plate body; and a corrosion-resistant opaque layer disposed on the upper side and the lower side of the nozzle plate body, and on the inner peripheral surface of the nozzles.

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