JPH09201976A - Method of manufacturing ink jet recording head - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [PROBLEMS] A method for manufacturing an inkjet recording head having excellent printing performance. SOLUTION: In a first substrate 1 in which a discharge pressure generating element for discharging an ink droplet is arranged, a first solid layer 2 is formed in a portion serving as a liquid passage, and a second solid is formed in a portion serving as a common liquid chamber. After laminating the layer 3 and the second substrate 4, the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 4
The curable resin 7 which will be the wall of the liquid path is injected between the base bodies 4 of
An ink jet recording head manufacturing method comprising a step of removing only the second solid layer 3 after curing the curable resin 7 at room temperature, and a step of removing the first solid layer 2 after curing the curable resin 7 by heating.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technical field relating to a method of manufacturing an inkjet recording head for generating recording droplets used in an inkjet recording system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-253457, a solid layer serving as a liquid path is formed on a substrate, and then an active energy ray curable material layer is formed. And a second substrate, and after irradiating the area other than the liquid chamber planned site with active energy rays, the uncured active energy ray curable material layer in the liquid chamber planned site is removed to form the liquid chamber. A method has been proposed in which the solid layer is formed and then the solid layer formed at the planned liquid chamber is removed.

However, the above manufacturing method has the following problems.

1. The material forming the wall of the liquid passage is limited to an active energy ray-curable material that can be patterned in the liquid chamber portion, and there has been a large restriction in selecting the above material.

[0005] 2. To increase the height of the common liquid chamber due to the ink droplet ejection performance of the inkjet recording head,
Since the active energy ray-curable material layer becomes thick, the accuracy is deteriorated when the liquid chamber portion is patterned, and an expensive exposure apparatus is occupied for a long time, which causes a cost increase.

FIG. 1 shows a means for solving these problems.
There is a method as shown in FIGS. 5, 9 and 10. Although FIGS. 1 to 5 are explanatory views of an embodiment of the present invention, they are cited because they show common process parts.

First, a first solid layer 2 is selectively formed by patterning or the like on a planned liquid path portion and a planned liquid chamber portion on a substrate 1 provided with a discharge pressure generating element (not shown) (FIG. 1). ).

Next, in order to secure a sufficient volume of the liquid chamber, and to secure a gap between the substrate 1 and a second substrate 4 which will be described later, the second solid layer 3 is printed or the like on at least the liquid chamber planned site. Formed by the method (FIG. 2).

Then, a second substrate 4 having a hole 5 to be an ink supply port later is placed (FIG. 3). Then, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the resin 7 that is hardened later and becomes the wall of the liquid path is injected into the gap between the first base 1 and the second base 4 from the resin supply port 6 arranged in the unnecessary portion in the nozzle arrangement direction, and as shown in FIG. As shown in.

[0010]

However, when the resin 7 is cured, the second solid layer 3 and the first solid layer 2 are cured.
When the first solid layer 2 and the second solid layer 3 are removed (Fig. 9, Figure 1
In 0), the compatible layer remains as a thin film-like residue, and becomes a dust that may be clogged the nozzle after the removal process or after completion of the head, or may be released near the edge of the second solid layer 3. There is a problem in that the residue left unattended falls down to block the liquid passage, hinder the ink supply, and deteriorate the printing performance.

Although the first solid layer 2 and the second solid layer 3 must not be compatible with each other, it was extremely difficult to select a material that completely satisfies all of them due to process restrictions. That is, the first solid layer 2 is a mold of a nozzle or a liquid path, and extremely high processing accuracy is required. Also,
It must be a material that can be removed for later removal.

On the other hand, since the second solid layer 3 serves as a mold agent for the liquid chamber, it is a thick film and has high-precision patterning characteristics, the adhesiveness for bonding the second substrate 4, and the fact that it can be removed later. Characteristics are required. A positive photoresist was mainly used as the first solid layer, and an acrylic resin printable ink was mainly used as the second solid layer.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing an ink jet recording head having excellent printing performance.

[0014]

The present invention achieves the above object by a manufacturing method having the following constitution.

(1) A first substrate provided with a discharge pressure generating element, a first solid layer occupying at least a portion serving as a liquid passage, and a first solid layer occupying at least a portion of a portion serving as a common liquid chamber. After stacking the second solid layer with the second solid layer, a curable resin that serves as a wall of the liquid path is injected between the first substrate and the second substrate to solidify the curable resin. In a method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head having a step of removing the first solid layer and the second solid layer after the curing, only the second solid layer is removed after the curable resin is cured at room temperature. Step, after the heat-curing of the curable resin, the first
And a step of removing the solid layer, and a method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head.

(2) The first solid layer is a positive photoresist, the second solid layer is an acrylic resin-based printing ink material, and the curable resin is an epoxy resin-based material. The method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to (1) above.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION According to the present invention, at least one of a first substrate provided with a discharge pressure generating element, a first solid layer occupying at least a portion serving as a liquid passage, and a portion serving as a common liquid chamber. After laminating a second solid layer occupying a part and a second base, a curable resin which becomes a wall of the liquid passage is injected between the first base and the second base, In a method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head, which comprises a step of removing the first solid layer and the second solid layer after the curable resin has solidified, the second solid after the curable resin has cured at room temperature. A method of manufacturing an ink jet recording head, wherein only the layer is removed, and the first solid layer is removed after the curable resin is heated and cured.

By performing the above-described removal and heat treatment in steps, it is possible to prevent generation of a removal residue due to the compatibility of the first solid layer and the second solid layer, and to form a film-like residue due to the compatibility. The removal residue is prevented from being released and becoming a waste, and the liquid channel is prevented from being closed by the film left without being released.

The details of the above embodiment will be described by way of examples.

[0020]

1 to 8 are explanatory views of an embodiment of the present invention, and an embodiment of the method of manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, a first solid layer 2 is formed on a first substrate 1 provided with a discharge pressure generating element (not shown) at a liquid passage forming portion and a liquid chamber forming planned portion communicating with the liquid passage forming portion. To do. In this embodiment, it is not always necessary to provide a solid layer in both the liquid passage and the liquid chamber forming portion, and the solid layer may be provided at least in the liquid passage forming portion.

The first solid layer 2 is removed after each step described below, and the remaining space portion becomes at least a liquid channel. If a liquid chamber or the like is simultaneously formed in addition to the liquid passage, the formation portion of the liquid chamber or the like is also formed in the first solid layer 2
Are provided to be occupied.

Specific means for forming such a first solid layer 2 is, for example, PMER-AR900 or PMER-AR900.
MER-AR900i (manufactured by Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.), PL-2
A positive type photosensitive resist such as 68 (manufactured by Hoechst) is applied by spin coating or the like to a thickness of, for example, about 10 to 100 μm, dried, and then exposed and developed to obtain a first density and a desired size. A solid layer 2 is obtained.

Alternatively, a photosensitive resin such as a positive type dry film or a negative type liquid resist and a negative type dry film may be patterned by the same method as described above.

Among the above-mentioned photosensitive resins, it is particularly preferable to use the above-mentioned liquid positive photosensitive resin in view of processing accuracy, easiness of removal, workability and cost. That is, a positive photosensitive material has, for example, a resolution superior to that of a negative photosensitive material, a relief pattern has a vertical and smooth side wall surface, or a tapered or inverse tapered cross-sectional shape is easily formed. It has the characteristic that it can be made, and it is ideal for shaping the liquid path. Further, it has a feature that the relief pattern can remove the developing solution and the solvent, and is a preferable material as the solid layer forming material in the examples of the present invention.

Particularly, for example, in the positive type photosensitive material using the above-mentioned naphthoquinonediazide and novolac type phenolic resin, since it can be completely dissolved in a weak alkaline aqueous solution or alcohol, the ejection energy generating element is not damaged at all. In addition, the removal in the post process is extremely quick. Among such positive type photosensitive materials, the liquid type is the most preferable material in that a desired film thickness can be obtained arbitrarily and the cost is low.

Next, a method of forming the second solid layer and the like will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in order to secure a sufficient capacity in the site where the liquid chamber is to be formed, and to maintain the space between the first base 1 and the second base 4 at an appropriate interval. For example 3
The second solid layer 3 having a thickness of about 0 μm to 300 μm is formed. Then, the second solid layer 3 is removed after the steps described below, and the remaining space becomes at least a part of the ink liquid chamber.

The second solid layer 3 is formed by a printing method or a dispensing method using a generally commercially available acrylic resin or epoxy resin.

For example, as the above resin, TH-700T
(Manufactured by Somar Co., Ltd.), MA-830, M-85K (manufactured by Taiyo Ink Mfg. Co., Ltd.), WR-520B (Asahi Chemical Laboratory Co., Ltd.), Nopco Mask 4038, 4056, and other inks. TH-700T is UV-curable and the others are heat-drying type.

For these, it is necessary to mount and adhere the second substrate after the pattern formation, and the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 4 are attached.
Sufficient adhesive force to correct and stick the sled is required.
In addition, it is advantageous in the process that the second solid layer 3 can be removed with the same removing liquid as the first solid layer 2 when removing.

For curing and drying, a heat drying type is more advantageous. That is, in the ultraviolet curable ink, the photosensitive material which is the lower first solid layer 2 is also exposed to the ultraviolet rays when the ultraviolet rays are irradiated, and as a result, it becomes difficult to remove the resist or the resist foams. (Decomposed nitrogen gas is generated)
The pattern may fly or be missing. Further, there is a restriction on the selection of the second substrate 4, that is, only a material that transmits ultraviolet rays can be used.

For the above reasons, a heat-drying type ink,
In particular, acrylic resin-based ink is most suitable.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, a second substrate 4 provided with an ink supply port 5 is aligned and adhered on the second solid layer 3.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the first substrate 1 is introduced through a resin injection hole 6 provided outside in the nozzle arrangement direction.
Then, the curable resin 7 which is hardened later and becomes the wall of the liquid path is injected into the gap between the second base member 4 and the second base member 4. Figure 5 shows the completed injection.

The resin to be injected is a resin that is injected and cured, has good cuttability, and it is necessary that the resin is not dissolved or deteriorated in the step of removing the first solid layer 2 and the second solid layer 3. Ink resistance is required for contact, and an epoxy resin is mainly used.

The epoxy resin includes a one-component curing type (ultraviolet curing and heat curing) and a two-component curing type (main agent + curing agent), but the two-component curing type is preferable.

That is, the ultraviolet-curing type requires expensive manufacturing equipment (exposure equipment), and the first layer of the base material is hardened during curing.
The solid layer 2 is also irradiated with ultraviolet rays to cause a pattern defect (resist is decomposed to generate gas), and further, the second base body 4 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays to select the second base body 4. This is because restrictions are imposed (only materials that transmit ultraviolet rays can be used).

Further, the one-component heat-curing type has a high curing temperature, and therefore, the first solid layer 2 as the base is melted or deformed during curing, which causes a problem.

The two-component curing type epoxy resin cures at a low temperature. However, since curing takes a very long time, curing by heating is also performed.

That is, if the curing is not sufficient, the epoxy resin swells with the removing liquid during the subsequent removal of the first solid layer 2 and the second solid layer 3 to remove the removing liquid in the thin tube portion such as a liquid passage. In some cases, sufficient replacement was not performed and removal was incomplete.

The embodiment of the present invention has the following steps in order to eliminate the film-like residue due to the mutual compatibility of the solid layers at the time of removal and to prevent the above-mentioned problems.

For example, as the epoxy resin, the main agent Epicoat 828 100 parts (bisphenol A type epoxy oil chemical shell Co., Ltd.) Curing agent Fujicure 6010 50 parts (aromatic amine Fuji Chemical Co., Ltd.) Resin is injected through the resin injection hole 6 and cured at room temperature for 24 hours.

Then, as shown in FIG. 6, only the second solid layer 3 is selectively removed.

For example, when the first solid layer 2 is a positive photoresist and the second solid layer 3 is an acrylic printing ink, an aromatic solvent (eg xylene) or a petroleum solvent (eg Solvesso) is used. 150 Exxon Chemical Co., Ltd.) and remove while applying ultrasonic waves with a shower or dip.

At this time, the removing liquid partially contacts the injected curable resin, but even if the curable resin is swollen, unlike the liquid passage portion, there is no thin tube portion, so that the removal failure due to swelling does not occur. Further, the swelling is restored by the subsequent heat treatment.

Next, in order to sufficiently cure the epoxy resin and suppress the swelling of the resin when removing the photoresist, 9
Heat treatment is performed at 0 ° C. for 8 hours.

In the heat treatment at this time, the second solid layer 3 is not present on the first solid layer 2 so that the mutual compatibility between the two does not occur. Therefore, in the subsequent removal process, a removal residue due to compatibility does not occur.

After the resin has hardened, it is cut by a known method such as a dicing saw to form an orifice 8 as shown in FIG. 7, and the first solid layer 2 is removed as shown in FIG. To be done.

When the first solid layer 2 is a positive photoresist, a weak alkaline aqueous solution, an organic solvent such as acetone, alcohol, ethyl cellosolve or the like can be used as the removing liquid.

Depending on the method of forming the orifice,
The above cutting is not always necessary.

[0052]

As described above, according to the present invention, the removal residue is not generated by the compatibility between the first solid layer and the second solid layer, the printing performance is excellent, the cost is low and the reliability is high. An inkjet recording head can be manufactured and provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of an example of a process of laminating a first solid layer.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of an example of a process of laminating a second solid layer.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of an example of a step of mounting a second substrate.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view in the nozzle array direction showing injection of resin.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a state where resin is injected.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of an example of a state after removing the second solid layer.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment in a state of being cut and divided.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a state in which the first solid layer is removed and the head is completed.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a state of being cut and divided in a conventional example.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a state in which the first and second solid layers are removed and the head is completed in the conventional example.

[Description of Reference Signs] 1 first substrate 2 first solid layer 3 second solid layer 4 second substrate 5 ink supply port 6 curable resin injection port 7 curable resin 8 liquid passage 9 liquid chamber

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A first substrate provided with a discharge pressure generating element, a first solid layer occupying at least a portion serving as a liquid passage, and a second solid layer occupying at least a portion of a portion serving as a common liquid chamber. After laminating the solid layer and the second substrate, a curable resin to be a wall of the liquid passage is injected between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the curable resin is solidified. In a method for manufacturing an inkjet recording head having a step of removing the first solid layer and the second solid layer later, a step of removing only the second solid layer after the curable resin is cured at room temperature And a step of removing the first solid layer after heat-curing the curable resin, a method for manufacturing an inkjet recording head. 2. The first solid layer is a positive photoresist, the second solid layer is an acrylic resin-based printing ink material, and the curable resin is an epoxy resin-based material. The method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein: