Liquid discharge head and recording device

Abstract

This liquid discharge head includes a head body (18), a cover member (13), and an elastic member (60). The head body (18) has nozzles for discharging liquid toward a recording medium. The cover member (13) has a first surface (13a) facing the recording medium, and a second surface (13b) located on the side opposite to the first surface (13a) and in contact with the head body (18). The elastic member (60) presses the second surface (13b).

Description

Liquid dispensing head and recording device

[0001] This disclosure relates to a liquid dispensing head and a recording device.

[0002] A liquid dispensing head that dispenses liquid toward a recording medium is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, the liquid dispensing head has a cover member that is joined to a head body that dispenses liquid and protects the head body.

[0003] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-188886

[0004] A liquid dispensing head according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a head body, a cover member, and an elastic member. The head body has a nozzle for dispensing liquid toward a recording medium. The cover member has a first surface facing the recording medium and a second surface located on the opposite side of the first surface and in contact with the head body. The elastic member presses against the second surface.

[0005] Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing a printer according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic top view showing a printer according to an embodiment. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the schematic configuration of a unit liquid ejection head in steps. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the schematic configuration of a line head unit in steps. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A shown in Figure 3. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of a part of the channel group in the MEMS chip. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the detailed configuration of the actuator substrate. Figure 8 is a schematic top view showing the actuator substrate. Figure 9 is a schematic top view showing the configuration of the head body, nozzle cover and protective cover according to an embodiment. Figure 10 is a side view of the head body, nozzle cover and protective cover according to an embodiment, viewed from the short side of the nozzle cover. Figure 11 is a side view of the head body, nozzle cover and protective cover according to an embodiment, viewed from the longitudinal side of the nozzle cover. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view along the line B-B shown in Figure 9. Figure 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the head body, nozzle cover and protective cover according to another embodiment.

[0006] The following describes in detail, with reference to the drawings, embodiments for implementing the liquid discharge head and recording device according to this disclosure (hereinafter referred to as "Embodiments"). However, this disclosure is not limited by these embodiments. Furthermore, each embodiment can be combined as appropriate, provided that the processing content is not inconsistent. Also, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals in each of the following embodiments, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0007] Furthermore, in the embodiments described below, expressions such as "constant," "orthogonal," "perpendicular," or "parallel" may be used, but these expressions do not require strict adherence to "constant," "orthogonal," "perpendicular," or "parallel" conditions. In other words, each of the above expressions allows for deviations such as manufacturing accuracy or installation accuracy.

[0008] Furthermore, in the drawings referenced below, for the sake of clarity, mutually orthogonal X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions are sometimes defined, and a Cartesian coordinate system is shown with the positive Z-axis direction as the vertically upward direction.

[0009] (Embodiment) <Printer Configuration> First, an overview of the printer 100, which is an example of a recording device according to the embodiment, will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing the printer 100 according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic top view showing the printer 100 according to the embodiment. The printer 100 according to the embodiment is, for example, a color inkjet printer.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the printer 100 includes a paper feed roller 101, guide rollers 102A to 102C, a plurality of transport rollers 103, a recovery roller 104, a head case 105, a plurality of frames 106, a plurality of unit liquid discharge heads 1, a dryer 107, and a coating machine 109. Furthermore, the printer 100 includes a sensor unit 108 and a control unit 200.

[0011] The control unit 200 controls the paper feed roller 101, guide rollers 102A to 102C, multiple transport rollers 103, recovery roller 104, head case 105, multiple frames 106, multiple unit liquid discharge heads 1, dryer 107, sensor unit 108, and coating machine 109.

[0012] The printer 100 records images or characters on the printing paper P by depositing droplets of liquid onto the paper P. The printing paper P is an example of a recording medium. Before use, the printing paper P is wound around the paper feed roller 101. The printer 100 then transports the printing paper P from the paper feed roller 101 to the inside of the head case 105 via the guide roller 102A and the coating machine 109.

[0013] The coating machine 109 uniformly applies the coating agent to the printing paper P. This allows the printing paper P to undergo surface treatment, thereby improving the print quality of the printer 100.

[0014] The head case 105 houses multiple transport rollers 103, multiple frames 106, and multiple unit liquid discharge heads 1. Inside the head case 105, a space is formed that is isolated from the outside, except for parts that are connected to the outside, such as the area where the printing paper P enters and exits.

[0015] The internal space of the head case 105 is controlled by the control unit 200, as needed, by at least one of the control factors such as temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. The transport roller 103 transports the printing paper P within the head case 105 to the vicinity of the unit liquid discharge head 1.

[0016] The frame 106 is a rectangular flat plate and is positioned close above the printing paper P being transported by the transport roller 103. Also, as shown in Figure 2, the frame 106 is positioned so that its longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the transport direction of the printing paper P. Inside the head case 105, multiple (for example, four) frames 106 are positioned along the transport direction of the printing paper P.

[0017] A liquid, such as ink, is supplied to the unit liquid dispensing head 1 from a liquid tank (not shown). The unit liquid dispensing head 1 dispenses droplets supplied from the liquid tank.

[0018] The control unit 200 controls the unit liquid ejection head 1 based on data such as images or characters, and ejects droplets toward the printing paper P. The distance between the unit liquid ejection head 1 and the printing paper P is, for example, about 0.5 to 20 mm.

[0019] The unit liquid dispensing head 1 is fixed to the frame 106. The unit liquid dispensing head 1 is fixed to the frame 106, for example, at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The unit liquid dispensing head 1 is positioned so that its longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the transport direction of the printing paper P.

[0020] In other words, the printer 100 according to the embodiment is a so-called line printer in which a unit liquid ejection head 1 is fixed inside the printer 100. However, the printer 100 according to the embodiment is not limited to a line printer, and may be a so-called serial printer. A serial printer is a printer that alternately performs the operation of recording while moving the unit liquid ejection head 1 back and forth in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the printing paper P, for example, in a nearly perpendicular direction, and the transport of the printing paper P.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, a unit in which multiple (for example, eight) unit liquid discharge heads 1 are arranged on a single frame 106 is also called a Line Head Unit (LHU). Figure 2 shows an example of a Line Head Unit 1A in which four unit liquid discharge heads 1 are positioned in a staggered pattern in front of the printing paper P in the transport direction and four in the rear. The unit liquid discharge heads 1 are positioned so that the centers of each unit liquid discharge head 1 do not overlap in the transport direction of the printing paper P.

[0022] The line head unit 1A includes a plurality of unit liquid ejection heads 1 located on a single frame 106. The line head unit 1A is an example of a liquid ejection head. The four line head units 1A are positioned along the transport direction of the printing paper P. The same color ink is supplied to the unit liquid ejection heads 1 belonging to the same line head unit 1A. This allows the printer 100 to print with four colors of ink using the four line head units 1A. The four line head units 1A may be arranged side by side to form a carriage, which is an example of the final form of the unit liquid ejection heads 1.

[0023] The ink colors ejected from each line head unit 1A are, for example, magenta (M), yellow (Y), cyan (C), and black (K). The control unit 200 controls each line head unit 1A to eject multiple colors of ink onto the printing paper P, thereby enabling the printing of a color image on the paper P.

[0024] Furthermore, in order to treat the surface of the printing paper P, a coating agent may be dispensed onto the printing paper P from the unit liquid dispensing head 1.

[0025] Furthermore, the number of unit liquid ejection heads 1 included in one line head unit 1A, or the number of line head units 1A mounted on the printer 100, can be appropriately changed depending on the object to be printed or the printing conditions. For example, if the color to be printed on the printing paper P is a single color and the printing is limited to the area that can be printed with one unit liquid ejection head 1, then the number of unit liquid ejection heads 1 mounted on the printer 100 may be as small as one.

[0026] The printed paper P, which has been processed inside the head case 105, is transported to the outside of the head case 105 by the transport roller 103, then transported by the guide roller 102B, and passes through the inside of the dryer 107. The dryer 107 dries the printed paper P. The printed paper P that has been dried in the dryer 107 is transported by the guide roller 102C and collected by the recovery roller 104.

[0027] In the printer 100, drying the printing paper P in the dryer 107 reduces the likelihood of the overlapping printing paper P sticking together or of undried liquid rubbing against each other in the recovery roller 104.

[0028] The sensor unit 108 is composed of a position sensor, a speed sensor, or a temperature sensor, etc. Based on the information from the sensor unit 108, the control unit 200 can determine the state of each part of the printer 100 and control each part of the printer 100.

[0029] The printer 100 described so far has shown the case where printing paper P is used as the printing target (i.e., recording medium), but the printing target in the printer 100 is not limited to printing paper P. For example, the printing target may be a roll of cloth or the like.

[0030] Alternatively, the printer 100 may transport the printing paper P on a conveyor belt instead of directly transporting it. By using a conveyor belt, the printer 100 can print on sheets of paper, cut cloth, wood, tiles, etc.

[0031] The printer 100 may also print wiring patterns for electronic equipment by ejecting droplets containing conductive particles from the unit liquid ejection head 1. Alternatively, the printer 100 may produce chemical products by ejecting a predetermined amount of liquid chemical agent or droplets containing a chemical agent from the unit liquid ejection head 1 toward a reaction vessel or the like.

[0032] The printer 100 may also include a cleaning unit for cleaning the unit liquid ejection head 1. The cleaning unit cleans the unit liquid ejection head 1, for example, by wiping or capping.

[0033] Wiping is a process that removes liquid adhering to the unit liquid discharge head 1 by wiping the surface of the area where the liquid droplets are discharged with a flexible wiper, for example.

[0034] Furthermore, the capping process is carried out, for example, as follows: First, a cap is placed over the surface of the area from which the droplets are dispensed (this is called capping). This creates a nearly sealed space between the surface of the area from which the droplets are dispensed and the cap.

[0035] Next, the droplets are repeatedly dispensed within this sealed space. This removes any liquid or foreign matter with a higher viscosity than standard that may have clogged the nozzle from which the droplets are dispensed.

[0036] <Configuration of the Unit Liquid Dispensing Head in the Line Head Unit> Next, the configuration of the unit liquid dispensing head 1 and the line head unit 1A according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 6. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the unit liquid dispensing head 1 in steps. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the line head unit 1A in steps. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A shown in Figure 3. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of a part of the channel group in the MEMS chip 10.

[0037] The unit liquid dispensing head 1 is assembled in the order shown in Figures 3(a) to (c). The line head unit 1A is assembled in the order shown in Figures 4(a) and (b) using the eight unit liquid dispensing heads 1 shown in Figure 3(c). As shown in Figure 3(a), the unit liquid dispensing head 1 has a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) chip 10 and a COF substrate (Chip on Film) 11 on a film. One end of the MEMS chip 10 is bonded to one end of the COF substrate 11. As a result, as shown in Figure 3(b), the terminal 143 (see Figure 5) located at one end of the MEMS chip 10 is connected to the wiring (not shown) inside the COF substrate 11, thereby electrically connecting the MEMS chip 10 to the COF substrate 11. The MEMS chip 10 can also be referred to as an individual flow path member.

[0038] The COF substrate 11 mounts a driving IC 111. The driving IC 111 can communicate with the control unit 200 wirelessly or by wire. Therefore, the driving IC 111 generates a driving signal based on the control signal transmitted from the control unit 200. Then, the driving IC 111 outputs the driving signal to an actuator substrate 3, which will be described later, in the MEMS chip 10 via the COF substrate 11. Thereby, the driving IC 111 can control the driving of the unit liquid ejection head 1.

[0039] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the unit liquid ejection head 1 has a manifold member 12. The constituent material of the manifold member 12 may be metal or resin.

[0040] The manifold member 12 may be composed of a plurality of layers of plates in a layered structure or may be a single layer of plate. Each plate has a base portion 12a and a protruding portion 12b. The protruding portion 12b is a portion protruding from the central region when the base portion 12a is divided into three in the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal direction of the base portion 12a is longer than the longitudinal direction of the MEMS chip 10. The manifold member 12 is joined to the MEMS chip 10 so that the base portion 12a is positioned above the MEMS chip 10. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 3(c), a super-small integrated module called a so-called front end module (Front End Module: FEM) is configured. The FEM is an example of a discharge member each having a nozzle 41 (see FIG. 5).

[0041] As an example of the layered structure of the manifold member 12, referring to Figure 5, which shows a cross-section along line A-A in Figure 3(c), the manifold member 12 has a structure in which the top layer plate 121a, the middle layer plate 121b, and the bottom layer plate 121c are stacked from top to bottom. The top layer plate 121a has a filter 121f. The upper part of the filter 121f is connected to the reservoir flow path of the reservoir member 14 (see Figure 4(b)). The filter 121f is located at the protruding portion 12b and filters out impurities from the liquid in the reservoir flow path. The top layer plate 121a has a flow path 121 through which the filtered liquid flows. The bottom layer plate 121c has a common flow path 123 along the longitudinal direction of the base portion 12a. The intermediate plate 121b is located between the uppermost plate 121a and the lowermost plate 121c, and has a hole 122 that connects the flow path 121 of the uppermost plate 121a with the common flow path 123.

[0042] As shown in Figure 4(a), eight front-end modules (FEMs) are arranged in a staggered pattern, and eight manifold members 12 are joined together in a line. This positions eight common channels 123 above the eight MEMS chips 10. Also, as shown in Figure 4(b), a nozzle cover 13 is joined below the eight MEMS chips 10 to cover them. This covers and protects the eight MEMS chips 10. The nozzle cover 13 is an example of a cover member. The longitudinal direction of the nozzle cover 13 is longer than the length of the eight manifold members 12. The nozzle cover 13 has eight rectangular openings 133. The openings 133 are positioned to correspond to the eight nozzles 41 (see Figure 5) of the eight MEMS chips 10, allowing liquid to be discharged from the eight nozzles 41.

[0043] Furthermore, the line head unit 1A has a reservoir member 14 provided therein with a reservoir channel (not shown). The longitudinal direction of the reservoir member 14 is longer than the length of the eight manifold members 12 on the line and is substantially equal to the length of the nozzle cover 13. The reservoir member 14 is joined to the eight manifold members 12 of the eight FEMs so as to be positioned above the eight FEMs. Thereby, a head body 18 (see FIGS. 9 to 12) having the eight FEMs and the reservoir member 14 is constituted, and the reservoir channel of the reservoir member 14 is positioned on the common channel 123 of the eight manifold members 12 of the eight FEMs. Further, a protective cover 17 that covers the reservoir member 14 is joined to the reservoir member 14. Thereby, at least the upper surface of the reservoir member 14 is covered and protected by the protective cover 17. The protective cover 17 is an example of a protective member. The protective cover 17 is made of a conductive material such as metal, for example. By being made of a conductive material, the protective cover 17 also serves to increase the rigidity of the liquid ejection head 1. The longitudinal direction of the protective cover 17 is longer than the length of the reservoir member 14. Through holes for inserting the liquid supply port 15 and the liquid discharge port 16 that the reservoir member 14 has are formed at both ends of the protective cover 17 in the Y-axis direction.

[0044] The reservoir member 14 is, for example, an injection molded product made of resin. Here, being made of resin means being made of resin, and includes those having resin as the main component and slightly containing impurities. The reservoir member 14 may be made of a conductive material such as metal, for example. The reservoir member 14 diverts and supplies liquid from the reservoir channel to the eight common channels 123.

[0045] Liquid supply ports 15 and liquid discharge ports 16 are located at both ends of the reservoir member 14 in the Y-axis direction. Liquid is supplied from the liquid supply ports 15 to the reservoir flow path within the reservoir member 14. The line head unit 1A temporarily stores the liquid supplied to the reservoir member 14 in the reservoir flow path, supplies it to eight common flow paths 123 that branch off from the reservoir flow path, and discharges it from the nozzle 41 through the flow path in the MEMS chip 10 located below each common flow path 123. The line head unit 1A discharges any liquid that was not supplied from the reservoir flow path of the reservoir member 14 to each common flow path 123 from the liquid discharge ports 16.

[0046] Furthermore, the line head unit 1A may collect liquid from the liquid outlet 16 while printing is in progress. Doing so makes it less likely for air bubbles to accumulate in the reservoir flow path within the reservoir member 14. In addition, the line head unit 1A can maintain a stable temperature by supplying liquid adjusted to a constant temperature. The collected liquid may be passed through a filter or the like and then supplied back to the line head unit 1A. In other words, the line head unit 1A may circulate the liquid. The supply and collection of liquid to and from the line head unit 1A, or the circulation of liquid, may be controlled by the control unit 200.

[0047] The above description shows an example of the configuration of the unit liquid discharge head 1 and the line head unit 1A. The configuration in Figure 4(b) may further include a circuit board, a heat sink for dissipating heat generated by the circuit board, cover members for the circuit board and heat sink, etc. For convenience, descriptions of these components have been omitted.

[0048] <Channel Group> The thickness direction of the MEMS chip 10 is defined as the Z-axis direction, and the positive Z-axis direction is defined as the vertically upward direction. The longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the MEMS chip 10 is also called the row direction, and the short direction (X-axis direction) of the MEMS chip 10 is also called the column direction. In the example in Figure 5, the MEMS chips 10 located on both sides of line L show cross-sections of two channels arranged symmetrically with respect to line L.

[0049] A channel refers to a single unit configuration that includes a flow path extending from the supply path 51 through the connecting passage 52 and the liquid chamber 131 to the nozzle 41, an actuator 30, and a diaphragm 38. A group of channels arranged in rows of 500 and in columns of two is called a channel group 10a or 10b. Channel groups 10a and 10b are arranged symmetrically with respect to line L shown in Figure 5. However, the number of channel groups can be changed as appropriate.

[0050] The MEMS chip 10 has a substrate in which a support substrate 2, an actuator substrate 3, and a nozzle substrate 4 are stacked from top to bottom. However, the three substrates, the support substrate 2, the actuator substrate 3, and the nozzle substrate 4, may be integrated into a single unit. Alternatively, only the two substrates, the actuator substrate 3 and the nozzle substrate 4, may be integrated into a single unit.

[0051] The support substrate 2 has a supply passage 51. The actuator substrate 3 has a bonding layer 3a and a liquid chamber substrate 3b stacked from top to bottom. The bonding layer 3a has a communication passage 52, an actuator 30, and a diaphragm 38. The diaphragm 38 is positioned on the lower surface of the actuator 30. The area around the actuator 30, other than the lower surface, is covered by a space 132. The area around the actuator 30, other than the lower surface, is covered by a space 132. The liquid chamber substrate 3b has a liquid chamber 131. The nozzle substrate 4 has nozzles 41 for discharging liquid. The liquid chambers 131 are arranged in a row of 100 to 2000 units and in a column of 2 units, for a total of 200 to 4000 units. Corresponding to the liquid chambers 131, there are 100 to 2000 nozzles 41 in the row and 2 units in the column, for a total of 200 to 4000 nozzles 41, and the same number of supply passages 51 and communication passages 52 as there are nozzles 41. In this configuration, the supply passages 51, connecting passages 52, liquid chambers 131, and nozzles 41, arranged in two rows of 100 to 2000 each along the row direction according to this embodiment, form channel groups 10a and 10b. The common flow path 123 is a common flow path for 1000 channels and is connected to 200 to 4000 supply passages 51, arranged in two rows of 100 to 2000 each, supplying liquid to 200 to 4000 nozzles 41. In the plan view of the actuator substrate 3 shown in Figure 8, parts of the channel groups 10a and 10b, arranged in two rows in the row direction, are shown within the frames, respectively.

[0052] The bottom plate 121c is located on the support substrate 2. The upper surface of the support substrate 2 forms the bottom of the common channel 123. However, the bottom plate 121c may have a bottom and the common channel 123 may be located inside it. In this case, a hole communicating with the supply channel 51 may be provided in the bottom of the bottom plate 121c. The supply channel 51 penetrates the support substrate 2 in the Z-axis direction.

[0053] The bonding layer 3a is bonded to the support substrate 2. The communication passage 52 penetrates the bonding layer 3a and is connected to the supply passage 51. The actuator substrate 3 includes a bonding layer 3a that is bonded to the first substrate, and the bonding layer 3a has a communication passage 52 that is connected to the supply passage 51 and supplies liquid to the nozzle 41.

[0054] The liquid chamber 131 is located below the actuator 30 and is connected to the communication passage 52, which communicates the communication passage 52 with the nozzle 41. The liquid chamber 131 is a space enclosed by the diaphragm 38, the upper surface of the nozzle substrate 4, and the solid 39, and extends from below the communication passage 52 to above the nozzle 41.

[0055] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a part of channel group 10a, with channel group 10b omitted. As shown in Figure 6, the actuator substrate 3 can be electrically connected to the outside through terminal 143 by electrical junctions 141 and 142 located at one end of channel group 10a. One end of channel group 10a is located on the opposite side of channel group 10b.

[0056] <Configuration of Actuator Substrate> The detailed configuration of the actuator substrate 3 will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the detailed configuration of the actuator substrate 3. Figure 8 is a schematic plan view showing the actuator substrate 3. Note that Figure 7 shows the configuration of channel group 10a, and the configuration of channel group 10b is omitted. Since the configuration of channel group 10a and the configuration of channel group 10b are the same, the explanation of the configuration of channel group 10b will be omitted.

[0057] The thickness (length in the Z-axis direction) of the support substrate 2 is, for example, 200 to 400 μm. The thickness (length in the Z-axis direction) of the actuator substrate 3 is, for example, 30 to 300 μm. The thickness (length in the Z-axis direction) of the nozzle substrate 4 is, for example, 75 to 150 μm. In Figure 7, for convenience, the thickness of the actuator substrate 3 is shown to be thicker than the thickness of the nozzle substrate 4, but in reality, the thickness of the nozzle substrate 4 is thicker than the thickness of the actuator substrate 3. The constituent materials of the support substrate 2, liquid chamber substrate 3b, and nozzle substrate 4 may be Si.

[0058] The bonding layer 3a has a bonding film 31, an actuator 30, and a diaphragm 38. The bonding film 31 is bonded to the support substrate 2 on the upper surface of the bonding layer 3a. The communication passage 52 penetrates the bonding film 31, and the side surface of the communication passage 52 is the SiO of the bonding film 31. ２ The bonding film 31 is formed of Si. The bonding film 31 may be Si. The communication passage 52 is located below the supply passage 51 and communicates with the supply passage 51. The bonding of the support substrate 2 and the bonding film 31 may be done by room temperature direct bonding using intermolecular forces, adhesive bonding, or gold-gold bonding. The bonding of the liquid chamber substrate 3b and the nozzle substrate 4 may also be done by room temperature direct bonding. Since the liquid chamber substrate 3b and the nozzle substrate 4 are formed from the same constituent material, they are easy to bond, and other bonding methods may be used.

[0059] The liquid chamber 131 is located below the communication passage 52 and communicates with the communication passage 52. The liquid chamber 131 has an inlet channel 53. The inlet channel 53 is the connection point of the liquid chamber 131 that communicates with the communication passage 52 at the connection point between the communication passage 52 and the liquid chamber 131. The connection point between the communication passage 52 and the liquid chamber 131 is the part where the bonding layer 3a and the liquid chamber substrate 3b are connected at the boundary between the bonding layer 3a and the liquid chamber substrate 3b. As a result, the bonding layer 3a and the liquid chamber substrate 3b communicate with each other.

[0060] The liquid chamber 131 is connected to the communication passage 52 by an inlet flow path 53 and extends below the actuator 30 on the positive X-axis side. Furthermore, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the liquid chamber 131 of each channel and the actuator 30, forming a single hollow region 3A within the actuator substrate 3. Liquid is stored within the liquid chamber 131. Each channel's liquid chamber 131 corresponds one-to-one with the supply passage 51, the communication passage 52, and the nozzle 41, and liquid is supplied from the common flow path 123 of the manifold member 12. The common flow path 123 supplies liquid to 200 to 4000 channels.

[0061] The thickness of the bonding layer 3a may be several μm to 20 μm. The thickness of the liquid chamber substrate 3b may be 30 to 75 μm. Examples of constituent materials for the liquid chamber substrate 3b include Si.

[0062] For example, the depth (length in the Z-axis direction) of the supply passage 51 is equal to the thickness of the support substrate 2 and may be 200 to 400 μm. The depth (length in the Z-axis direction) of the communication passage 52 is equal to the length from the upper surface of the bonding film 31 to the lower surface of the diaphragm 38, i.e., the thickness of the bonding layer 3a and may be several μm to 20 μm. The depth (length in the Z-axis direction) of the liquid chamber 131 is equal to the thickness of the liquid chamber substrate 3b and may be 30 to 75 μm.

[0063] The solid core 39 is located around each hollow region 3A between the diaphragm 38 and the nozzle substrate 4, and has the function of separating each hollow region 3A from other hollow regions 3A. Examples of materials that make up the solid core 39 include silicon.

[0064] The diaphragm 38 is located above the liquid chamber 131 and above the solid 39. The diaphragm 38 has openings in parts corresponding to each liquid chamber 131. Liquid is supplied to the liquid chamber 131 from the common channel 123 through these openings. The openings in the diaphragm 38 form part of the communication passage 52.

[0065] The thickness of the diaphragm 38 may be, for example, 1 μm or more and 10 μm or less. The diaphragm 38 in this embodiment is a single layer, but is not limited to this. For example, the diaphragm 38 may have a multilayer structure. Also, the diaphragm 38 may have a multilayer structure locally, for example, only on the solid 39. That is, the thickness of the diaphragm 38 on the solid 39 may be thicker than the thickness of the diaphragm 38 on the liquid chamber 131. Examples of constituent materials for the diaphragm 38 are Si, SiO ２ These are some examples.

[0066] The actuator 30 is provided on a diaphragm 38 corresponding to the liquid chamber 131. The actuator 30 has a common electrode 35 (an example of a lower electrode), a piezoelectric element 36, and individual electrodes 37 (an example of an upper electrode). The actuator 30 is provided in a 1:1 relationship with the liquid chamber 131. The actuator 30 has the common electrode 35 located on the diaphragm 38 corresponding to the liquid chamber 131, the piezoelectric element 36 located on the common electrode 35, and the individual electrodes 37 located on the piezoelectric element 36, but is not limited to this. For example, the individual electrodes 37, piezoelectric element 36, and common electrode 35 may be provided on the diaphragm 38 in that order.

[0067] The common electrode 35 is provided across the actuators 30 of multiple channels in each channel group 10a, 10b in a plan view of the actuator substrate 3 shown in Figure 8, but is not limited to this. For example, the common electrode 35 may be provided individually corresponding to each actuator 30 of each channel. The thickness of the common electrode 35 may be, for example, 0.1 to 1 μm. The constituent material of the common electrode 35 may be, for example, a metallic material such as Pt.

[0068] The piezoelectric elements 36 are individually provided corresponding to each liquid chamber 131, but are not limited to this arrangement. For example, the piezoelectric elements 36 may be provided across multiple channels of liquid chambers 131 in a plan view of the actuator substrate 3. In the piezoelectric element 36, the portion sandwiched between the individual electrodes 37 and the common electrode 35 is polarized in the thickness direction along the Z-axis. Therefore, for example, when a voltage is applied in the polarization direction of the piezoelectric element 36 by the individual electrodes 37 and the common electrode 35, the piezoelectric element 36 contracts in the direction along the diaphragm 38. This contraction causes the piezoelectric element 36 to displace so that it becomes convex toward the liquid chamber 131. Along with the displacement of the piezoelectric element 36, the diaphragm 38 located on the liquid chamber 131 also displaces. As a result, pressure is applied to the liquid in the liquid chamber 131. This causes the liquid to be discharged from the liquid chamber 131 through the nozzle 41.

[0069] The thickness of the piezoelectric element 36 may be 1 μm or more and 10 μm or less. The constituent material of the piezoelectric element 36 is, for example, Pb(Zr,Ti)O ３ System, NaNbo ３ system, BaTiO ３ System, (BiNa)NboO ３ System, BiNaNB ５ O １５ Examples include ferroelectric ceramic constituent materials such as those found in certain systems.

[0070] Individual electrodes 37 are provided individually, corresponding to each liquid chamber 131. The thickness of the individual electrodes 37 may be 0.05 μm or more and 1 μm or less. The constituent material of the individual electrodes 37 may be a metallic material such as Pt.

[0071] The electrical junctions 141 and 142 shown in Figures 6 and 8 are located on the X-axis end of the actuator substrate 3. The tips of the electrical junctions 141 and 142 are formed by a plurality of terminals 143. The plurality of terminals 143 are electrically connected to the actuator substrate 3.

[0072] As shown in Fig. 7, the bonding layer 3a has a diaphragm 38 positioned on the liquid chamber substrate 3b, an actuator 30 positioned on the diaphragm 38, an insulating film 33, and a bonding film 31. The insulating film 33 is positioned on at least a part of the actuator 30. The bonding film 31 is positioned on at least a part of the insulating film 33. The insulating film 33 is provided on the actuator 30 to prevent a short circuit between the actuator 30 of each channel and the actuator 30 of other channels, or a wiring such as the lead-out wiring 144.

[0073] The bonding film 31 is positioned under the support substrate 2 and bonds the support substrate 2 and the bonding layer 3a. The thickness of the bonding film 31 may be, for example, 4 μm. Also, the constituent material of the bonding film 31 is, for example, SiO ２ and materials such as this can be mentioned.

[0074] As shown in Fig. 7, under the bonding film 31, a protective layer 32, an insulating film 33, and a common electrode 35 are laminated in order from above. The thickness of the protective layer 32 may be, for example, 0.1 to 1 μm. Also, the constituent material of the protective layer 32 is, for example, materials such as SiN.

[0075] The thickness of the insulating film 33 may be, for example, 0.1 to 1 μm. Also, the constituent material of the insulating film 33 is, for example, SiO ２ and materials such as this can be mentioned.

[0076] Incidentally, the actuator 30 may have an adhesion layer between the common electrode 35 and the piezoelectric body 36, and between the individual electrode 37 and the piezoelectric body 36. The thickness of the adhesion layer may be, for example, 0.05 μm. Also, the constituent material of the adhesion layer is, for example, materials such as SiN.

[0077] The protective layer 32 and the insulating film 33 are positioned on at least a part of the actuator 30. The upper surface of the actuator 30 is exposed to the space 132 except for the outer periphery of the actuator 30.

[0078] The lead wires 144 are electrically connected to the individual electrodes 37 and are wires that extend from each individual electrode 37. In the example shown in Figure 7, the lead wires 144 are positioned between the protective layer 32 and the insulating film 33 and extend from the portion corresponding to the liquid chamber 131 to the portion corresponding to the solid 39. The thickness of the lead wires 144 may be, for example, 0.1 μm or more and 1 μm or less. The constituent material of the lead wires 144 may be, for example, Au.

[0079] The protective layer 32 protects the actuator 30 beneath the bonding film 31. The insulating film 33 is provided on the diaphragm 38 to cover the lead wiring 144 in order to reduce the possibility of corrosion of the lead wiring 144. The insulating film 33 is in close contact with the diaphragm 38, which generally corresponds to the solid 39 excluding the liquid chamber 131.

[0080] The bonding film 31, protective layer 32, insulating film 33, common electrode 35, individual electrode 37, and lead wiring 144 according to this embodiment may be deposited on each layer using the CVD method. By using the CVD method, the step coverage is improved, so the coverage of each layer and lead wiring 144 is improved, and the possibility of corrosion of each layer and lead wiring 144 can be further reduced. However, each layer and lead wiring 144 according to this embodiment may be deposited using the sputtering method, not limited to the CVD method. By using the sputtering method, particles that will become the constituent material of each layer and lead wiring 144 will adhere to the surface. Therefore, the adhesion between each layer and the diaphragm 38 and lead wiring 144 can be improved.

[0081] The wiring of the actuator substrate 3 according to this embodiment will be further described with reference to Figure 8. In a plan view, the actuator substrate 3 shown in Figure 8 shows a portion of the channel groups 10a and 10b arranged in two rows. 100 to 2000 lead wires 144 are located on each of the channel groups 10a and 10b.

[0082] The number of lead wires 144 on each channel group 10a, 10b may be set as appropriate. Each lead wire 144, when viewed from above, is connected to an individual electrode 37 corresponding to the liquid chamber 131 and is led out in the positive X-axis direction. The lead wire 144 led out from channel group 10b is connected to an electrical junction 142. The electrical junction 142 runs along the positive X-axis direction within the region of channel group 10a and is electrically connected to a terminal 143 of an individual terminal region 201 formed in the positive X-axis direction of channel group 10a. The lead wire 144 led out from channel group 10a in the positive X-axis direction is connected to an electrical junction 141. The electrical junction 141 runs along the positive X-axis direction and is electrically connected to a terminal 143 of an individual terminal region 201.

[0083] Therefore, each actuator 30 of channel groups 10a and 10b receives a drive signal from the drive IC 111 on the COF substrate 11 via terminals 143 through electrical junctions 141 and 142. Each individual electrode 37 of each actuator 30 is supplied with an individual drive potential via lead wiring 144 based on the drive signal (see Figure 5).

[0084] With this configuration, each actuator 30 of channel groups 10a and 10b receives a drive signal corresponding to a desired control signal from the control unit 200 (Figure 8(1)), and displaces the piezoelectric element 36 so that it protrudes toward the liquid chamber 131 according to the drive signal. As the piezoelectric element 36 is displaced, the diaphragm 38 located on the liquid chamber 131 is displaced, and pressure is applied to the liquid in the liquid chamber 131. As a result, liquid is discharged from each liquid chamber 131 through each nozzle 41. This causes the drive IC 111 to drive the unit liquid discharge head 1.

[0085] The common electrode 35 is electrically connected to the ground connection 145 of the ground region 202 via the common wiring 146 (Figure 8(2)). As a result, the common electrode 35 is supplied with ground potential. Ground potential means 0V. Note that the common wiring 146 is not shown in Figures 5 to 7.

[0086] <Configuration of Head Body, Nozzle Cover, and Protective Cover> Next, the configuration of the head body 18, nozzle cover 13, and protective cover 17 will be described with reference to Figures 9 to 12. Figure 9 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the head body 18, nozzle cover 13, and protective cover 17 according to the embodiment. Figure 10 is a side view of the head body 18, nozzle cover 13, and protective cover 17 according to the embodiment, viewed from the short side of the nozzle cover 13. Figure 11 is a side view of the head body 18, nozzle cover 13, and protective cover 17 according to the embodiment, viewed from the longitudinal side of the nozzle cover 13. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view along the line B-B shown in Figure 9.

[0087] As shown in Figures 9 to 12, the print head body 18 has a plurality (in this case, eight) FEMs and a reservoir member 14. Each FEM is formed by joining a manifold member 12 (see Figure 3(c)) and a MEMS chip 10 (see Figure 3(c)). Each of the plurality of FEMs has a nozzle 41 (see Figure 5) that discharges liquid toward the printing paper P. The reservoir member 14 is located above the plurality of FEMs. The reservoir member 14 has reservoir channels inside and supplies liquid to the plurality of FEMs. Note that in Figure 12, for the sake of explanation, the channels inside the FEMs and the channels inside the reservoir member 14 are not shown.

[0088] The nozzle cover 13 is a plate-shaped member and has a first surface 13a, a second surface 13b located on the opposite side of the first surface 13a, and an opening 133 that penetrates the first surface 13a and the second surface 13b. The first surface 13a is the surface facing the printing paper P. The second surface 13b is the surface adjacent to the head body 18. The opening 133 is located in a region that overlaps in plan view with the nozzle 41 (see Figure 5) in each of the multiple FEMs, and is a through hole that penetrates from the first surface 13a to the second surface 13b. The opening 133 is located in a position corresponding to the nozzle 41 (see Figure 5) in each of the multiple FEMs, and enables liquid to be discharged from the nozzle 41.

[0089] Here, the nozzle cover 13 may be subjected to an upward force (for example, in the positive Z-axis direction) on its first surface 13a. For example, the nozzle cover 13 is subjected to an upward force due to contact with the printing paper P when printing is performed on the printing paper P. Also, the nozzle cover 13 may be subjected to an upward force due to contact with the wiper or cap when the unit liquid discharge head 1 is cleaned by a wiping or capping process. When subjected to an upward force from the first surface 13a side, the nozzle cover 13 bends and deforms upward. For example, in the part where the head body 18 and the nozzle cover 13 are not in contact, the nozzle cover 13 is prone to bending and deforming upward. As a result, there is a risk that the nozzle cover 13 may peel off from the head body 18.

[0090] In contrast, the line head unit 1A according to the embodiment has an elastic member 60 on the second surface 13b side of the nozzle cover 13. The elastic member 60 presses against the second surface 13b of the nozzle cover 13. Specifically, the elastic member 60 presses in a direction away from the head body 18, that is, downward (for example, in the negative Z-axis direction). With this configuration, upward forces on the nozzle cover 13 can be offset by the pressing force of the elastic member 60, thereby reducing deformation of the nozzle cover 13. As a result, the line head unit 1A according to the embodiment can reduce the peeling of the nozzle cover 13 from the head body 18.

[0091] The elastic member 60 includes a first elastic member 60a and a second elastic member 60b. The first elastic member 60a is located in a region on the second surface 13b corresponding to one end of the nozzle cover 13 in the longitudinal direction (for example, the Y-axis direction). The second elastic member 60b is located in a region on the second surface 13b corresponding to the other end of the nozzle cover 13 in the longitudinal direction (for example, the Y-axis direction). Specifically, when the second surface 13b is divided into three parts in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle cover 13, the first elastic member 60a is located in one of the two regions that sandwich the central region, and the second elastic member 60b is located in the other region. By positioning the first elastic member 60a and the second elastic member 60b in the regions at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle cover 13 on the second surface 13b in this way, deformation at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle cover 13 can be reduced. In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, the first elastic member 60a and the second elastic member 60b will be collectively referred to as "elastic member 60". Furthermore, the first elastic member 60a may be located in one end region (the division furthest to the right) when the second surface 13b is divided into 10 sections along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle cover 13, and the second elastic member 60b may be located in the other end region (the division furthest to the left).

[0092] As shown in Figure 9, the elastic member 60 is positioned so as not to overlap with the multiple FEMs on the second surface 13b. That is, the elastic member 60 is positioned so as to sandwich the multiple FEMs on the second surface 13b. At the position where the multiple FEMs overlap on the second surface 13b, the nozzle cover 13 is supported by the multiple FEMs and the reservoir member 14 located on the multiple FEMs, so deformation of the nozzle cover 13 is relatively unlikely to occur. On the other hand, at the position where the multiple FEMs do not overlap on the second surface 13b, the nozzle cover 13 is not supported, so deformation of the nozzle cover 13 is relatively likely to occur. In this embodiment, by positioning the elastic member 60 so as not to overlap with the multiple FEMs on the second surface 13b, deformation of the nozzle cover 13 at the position where the multiple FEMs do not overlap can be reduced.

[0093] As shown in Figure 12, at least a portion of the elastic member 60 is located between the portion of the reservoir member 14 that does not overlap with the multiple FEMs and the second surface 13b. Specifically, the reservoir member 14 protrudes outward from the multiple FEMs in the longitudinal direction (for example, the Y-axis direction) of the nozzle cover 13, and at least a portion of the elastic member 60 is located between the protruding portion of the reservoir member 14 and the second surface 13b. In other words, the elastic member 60 is in contact with the second surface 13b and the reservoir member 14. With this configuration, the downward reaction force from the reservoir member 14 can increase the pressing force of the elastic member 60 against the second surface 13b, thereby further reducing the deformation of the nozzle cover 13.

[0094] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, when viewed from the side in the longitudinal direction (for example, the Y-axis direction) of the nozzle cover 13, at least a portion of the elastic member 60 overlaps with the multiple FEMs. That is, the elastic member 60 has a main body portion 61 located between the protruding portion of the reservoir member 14 and the second surface 13b, and a wall portion 62 rising from the end of the main body portion 61 that is farther from the multiple FEMs, and the wall portion 62 overlaps with the multiple FEMs when viewed from the side. With this configuration, the elastic member 60 can block the intrusion of foreign matter toward the multiple FEMs. In this embodiment, the main body portion 61 also overlaps with the multiple FEMs when viewed from the side.

[0095] When viewed from the side in the longitudinal direction (for example, the Y-axis direction) of the nozzle cover 13, at least a portion of the elastic member 60 may overlap with the multiple FEMs and reservoir members 14. That is, the wall portion 62 of the elastic member 60 may overlap with the multiple FEMs and reservoir members 14 when viewed from the side. With this configuration, the elastic member 60 can block the entry of foreign matter toward the multiple FEMs and reservoir members 14.

[0096] When viewed from the side in the short direction of the nozzle cover 13 (for example, in the X-axis direction), at least a portion of the nozzle cover 13 may overlap with the multiple FEMs. That is, the nozzle cover 13 has a wall portion 135 at the short end of the nozzle cover 13, and this wall portion 135 may overlap with the multiple FEMs when viewed from the side. The wall portion 135 is formed by bending the nozzle cover 13. By having at least a portion of the nozzle cover 13 overlap with the multiple FEMs when viewed from above, the nozzle cover 13 can block the intrusion of foreign matter toward the multiple FEMs. In addition, the presence of the wall portion 135 of the nozzle cover 13 can improve the strength of the nozzle cover 13.

[0097] As shown in Figure 9, the elastic member 60 is located on the region extending from the center line CL in the short direction (for example, the X-axis direction) of the nozzle cover 13 on the second surface 13b to both ends of the nozzle cover 13 in the short direction. This configuration reduces the deflection and tilt of the nozzle cover 13 compared to the case where the elastic member 60 is located on the region extending to one end of the nozzle cover 13 in the short direction.

[0098] The elastic member 60 may be made of a metal material. This can improve the strength and durability of the elastic member 60.

[0099] The elastic member 60 may be set to ground potential. Ground potential may be, for example, 0V. The elastic member 60 may also be set to ground potential by being electrically connected to another member set to ground potential. By setting the elastic member 60 to ground potential, the possibility of charged paper dust, ink mist, etc. adhering to the elastic member 60 due to electrostatic force can be reduced.

[0100] The head body 18 is made of a conductive material and may include a conductive member having a flow path inside. The conductive member included in the head body 18 may be, for example, a reservoir member 14. Alternatively, the conductive member included in the head body 18 may be, for example, a FEM. If the head body 18 includes a conductive member, the elastic member 60 may be in contact with such a conductive member. When the elastic member 60, which is set to ground potential, comes into contact with the conductive member, the conductive member is set to ground potential. This reduces the possibility of components in the liquid condensing in the flow path within the conductive member. In the example of Figure 12, if the reservoir member 14 is a conductive member, the elastic member 60 is in contact with the reservoir member 14, thus reducing the possibility of components in the liquid condensing in the reservoir flow path within the reservoir member 14.

[0101] The nozzle cover 13 may be made of a conductive material. In this case, the elastic member 60 may be in contact with the nozzle cover 13. When the elastic member 60, which is set to ground potential, comes into contact with the nozzle cover 13, the nozzle cover 13 is set to ground potential. This reduces the possibility that charged paper dust, ink mist, and other particles may adhere to the nozzle cover 13 due to electrostatic force.

[0102] The protective cover 17 may be made of a conductive material. In this case, the elastic member 60 may be electrically connected to the protective cover 17. For example, the elastic member 60 may be connected to the protective cover 17 by a connecting member 63 that penetrates the elastic member 60, the reservoir member 14, and the protective cover 17, with the reservoir member 14 sandwiched between the elastic member 60 and the protective cover 17. The connecting member 63 may be made of a conductive material. By connecting the elastic member 60 and the protective cover 17 via the connecting member 63, the elastic member 60 is electrically connected to the protective cover 17. By electrically connecting the elastic member 60, which is set to ground potential, to the protective cover 17, the protective cover 17 is set to ground potential. This reduces the possibility of charged paper dust, ink mist, etc. adhering to the protective cover 17. The print head body 18 may include the protective cover 17.

[0103] (Another Embodiment) Figure 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the head body 18, nozzle cover 13, and protective cover 17 according to another embodiment.

[0104] As shown in Figure 13, the protective cover 17 protrudes outward beyond the longitudinal end (for example, in the Y-axis direction) of the reservoir member 14. The elastic member 60 may contact the protruding portion of the protective cover 17 and press that portion from below. With this configuration, the downward reaction force from the protective cover 17 can increase the pressing force of the elastic member 60 against the second surface 13b, thereby further reducing the deformation of the nozzle cover 13.

[0105] As described above, the liquid discharge head according to the embodiment (for example, line head unit 1A) comprises a head body (for example, head body 18), a cover member (for example, nozzle cover 13), and an elastic member (for example, elastic member 60). The head body has a nozzle (for example, nozzle 41) that discharges liquid toward a recording medium (for example, printing paper P). The cover member has a first surface (for example, first surface 13a) that faces the recording medium and a second surface (for example, second surface 13b) that is located on the opposite side of the first surface and is in contact with the head body. The elastic member presses against the second surface.

[0106] Therefore, according to the liquid dispensing head of the embodiment, peeling of the cover member can be reduced.

[0107] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Indeed, the embodiments described above can be embodied in a variety of forms. Furthermore, the embodiments described above may be omitted, replaced, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

[0108] 1 Unit liquid discharge head 1A Line head unit 2 Support substrate 3 Actuator substrate 4 Nozzle substrate 10 MEMS chip 10a, 10b Channel group 12 Manifold member 13 Nozzle cover 13a First surface 13b Second surface 14 Reservoir member 17 Protective cover 18 Head body 41 Nozzle 60 Elastic member 60a First elastic member 60b Second elastic member 100 Printer 133 Opening 200 Control unit CL Center line P Printing paper

Claims

1. A liquid dispensing head comprising: a head body having a nozzle for dispensing liquid toward a recording medium; a cover member having a first surface facing the recording medium and a second surface located on the opposite side of the first surface and in contact with the head body; and an elastic member for pressing the second surface.

2. The liquid dispensing head according to claim 1, wherein the head body comprises a plurality of dispensing members, each having a nozzle, and a reservoir member positioned above the plurality of dispensing members and supplying liquid to the plurality of dispensing members, and the elastic member is positioned in a location that does not overlap with the plurality of dispensing members on the second surface.

3. The liquid dispensing head according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the elastic member is located between the portion of the reservoir member that does not overlap with the plurality of dispensing members and the second surface.

4. The liquid dispensing head according to claim 1, wherein the head body comprises a plurality of dispensing members, each having a nozzle, and a reservoir member positioned above the plurality of dispensing members and supplying liquid to the plurality of dispensing members, and the elastic member, when viewed from the side in the longitudinal direction of the cover member, has at least a portion of it overlapping with the plurality of dispensing members.

5. The liquid dispensing head according to claim 4, wherein, when viewed from the side in the longitudinal direction of the cover member, at least a portion of the elastic member overlaps with the plurality of dispensing members and the reservoir member.

6. The liquid dispensing head according to claim 4, wherein, when viewed from the side in the short direction of the cover member, at least a portion of the cover member overlaps with the plurality of dispensing members.

7. The liquid dispensing head according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is located on the region extending from the center line in the short direction of the cover member on the second surface to both ends in the short direction of the cover member.

8. The liquid dispensing head according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is made of a metal material.

9. The liquid dispensing head according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is set to ground potential.

10. The liquid dispensing head according to claim 9, wherein the head body is made of a conductive material and includes a conductive member having a flow path inside, and the elastic member is in contact with the conductive member.

11. The liquid dispensing head according to claim 9, wherein the cover member is made of a conductive material, and the elastic member is in contact with the cover member.

12. The liquid dispensing head according to claim 9, wherein the head body comprises a plurality of dispensing members, each having the nozzle, and a reservoir member positioned above the plurality of dispensing members and supplying liquid to the plurality of dispensing members, and further comprises a protective member covering at least the upper surface of the reservoir member, the protective member being made of a conductive material, and the elastic member being electrically connected to the protective member.

13. The liquid dispensing head according to claim 1, wherein the head body comprises a plurality of dispensing members, each having the nozzle, and a reservoir member positioned above the plurality of dispensing members and supplying liquid to the plurality of dispensing members, and further comprises a protective member covering at least the upper surface of the reservoir member, the protective member protruding outward from the longitudinal end of the reservoir member, and the elastic member contacting the protruding portion of the protective member and pressing the portion from below.

14. The liquid dispensing head according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member includes a first elastic member located in a region corresponding to one end of the cover member in the longitudinal direction on the second surface, and a second elastic member located in a region corresponding to the other end of the cover member in the longitudinal direction on the second surface.

15. A recording device comprising a liquid dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 14, and a control unit for controlling the liquid dispensing head.

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