JPS5915033B2 - Nozzle Souchi Oyobi Sonoseisakuhouhou - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a nozzle, and more specifically to a nozzle for use in an ink 15-jet recording apparatus and a method for manufacturing the nozzle.

In an ink jet recording device, liquid ink is applied under pressure to a nozzle arrangement having a very small orifice through which a very fine and continuous jet of ink is ejected.

Nozzle devices are known in which an orifice element is fixed to a nozzle block having a liquid passageway and connected to a source of pressurized liquid ink. It has been discovered that the most desirable jet streams for recording are generated when the aspect ratio of the orifice, ie the ratio of the orifice diameter to length, is very small, for example on the order of less than one. This means that the orifice element must be extremely small. Such a small orifice 3
The treatment of zero-spacing elements has been difficult during the assembly process.
Additionally, the addition of extremely small orifice elements to the nozzle arrangement poses a problem, particularly with respect to aiming.
This is because the direction of stream ejection must be accurately positioned when assembled with the jet control elements 35 in an ink jet recording device. Even if the orifice element arrangement has very small errors with respect to the nozzle arrangement, the jets will produce very large errors in the downstream direction.

This error can lead to contamination of recording device elements or to the need for complex structures to achieve accurate aiming in the recording device. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of fabricating a nozzle arrangement for an ink dinit recording device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for making a sighted nozzle device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of nozzle fabrication for an ink dinit recording device in which excellent accuracy is obtained in the aiming of the nozzle orifice. Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of fabricating orifice elements for use in nozzle assemblies of ink dinit recording apparatus.

The nozzle arrangement according to the invention consists of a support block and an orifice wafer.

The block has a fluid passage connectable to a source of liquid ink, the fluid passage terminating in an aperture in the flat surface of the block. The orifice wafer includes an annular orifice element secured to a body portion thereof, the annular end surface of the orifice element and the wafer body surface forming a common plane;
The aperture axis in the orifice element is perpendicular to this common surface. The common surface of the wafer is bonded to the flat surface of the support block, and the apertures of the orifice elements and the liquid apertures in the block are aligned. Alignment indicia (preferably in the form of a groove having horizontal and vertical surfaces) are formed in the nozzle block to align the orifice element with a fluid aperture in the nozzle block. The aperture in the block is larger than the orifice aperture but smaller than the diameter of the annulus of the orifice element such that a fluid-tight seal is achieved around the fluid aperture in the block and between the orifice element and the nozzle block. Ru. This ensures that no leakage occurs around the orifice arrangement when compressed ink is applied to the block. For precise aiming of the nozzle device, the nozzle block is provided with an aiming surface. The common surface of the wafers and the surface of the block to which the wafers are bonded are parallel to this aiming surface. In such a configuration, the nozzle device can be easily and quickly aimed with high accuracy when mounted in the support structure of the ink dinit recording device. Further, in accordance with the present invention, a method for fabricating a wafer includes surrounding a straight length of glass or fibrous elongated tube with an encapsulating material;
It consists of cutting it into thin pieces perpendicular to the axis of the tube. To achieve the accuracy desired in a pre-aimed nozzle device, the encapsulant takes the form of a ceramic block machined to have at least two flat, orthogonal external positioning surfaces. The third surface of the block is machined with a groove having two orthogonal flat internal positioning surfaces parallel to the two external positioning surfaces. A straight piece of tubing, previously drawn to the desired external diameter and thickness, is placed into the groove so that the circumference of the tube contacts both internal locating surfaces over the length of the groove. It will be done like this. Encapsulation is completed by filling the groove space with solidified material while maintaining contact between the tube and the internal positioning surface. In an embodiment, the tube is glass and the filling material is adhesive glass placed in a groove at the top of the tube, and when heated (preferably in a vacuum), the molten adhesive glass fills the space around the tube. flows to and fills it. After cooling, the block consisting of tube and solidified filling material is cut into thin pieces (thicker than the ultimate desired length of the orifice element) along a plane perpendicular to the external positioning surface of the wafer block. is desirable). Because the tube is precisely aligned within the groove with respect to the external alignment surface, cutting perpendicular to the external alignment surface ensures that the orifice element aperture is exactly perpendicular to the wafer surface. ensure that they are true and have a common plane. Thus,
Accurate aiming of the orifice element is easily achieved without time-consuming effort to align the cutting tool with the solid axis of the tube. A method of making a more precise nozzle device considers forming a nozzle block. The nozzle block is preferably ceramic with parallel flat front and back surfaces, the back surface forming a reference surface for aiming. A fluid passageway for connection to a source of pressurized fluid is formed in the nozzle block, with an aperture in the front face of the block being smaller than the outer diameter of the annular orifice element, but with an aperture in the orifice element. It is larger than the aperture of. An orifice wafer is affixed to the front face of the nozzle block, and the apertures in the orifice elements are aligned with the fluid apertures in the passageways. To this end, a fluid-tight seal is formed around the aperture in the front face of the nozzle block by adhering the annular end surfaces of the orifice element and wafer body to the front face of the nozzle block. In embodiments of the invention, the adhesive is attached to the nozzle. This is accomplished by applying a thin coating of adhesive glass to the front side of the block. The coating completely encloses at least the front portion of the nozzle block coplanar with the surface of the wafer and around the passage aperture. After the wafer is properly aligned and its common plane is in contact with the layer of solder glass, the assembly is heated, the bonding glass melts, and when it cools, the wafer and orifice element are placed in the nozzle. - Glued to the front of the block. The wafer is then machined to the desired thickness parallel to the back surface on the nozzle block. This ensures that the orifice element has the desired aspect ratio and is accurately aimed with respect to the aiming surface of the nozzle block. It is thus clear that a nozzle arrangement is provided which is very accurate in terms of size and directional aiming.

Additionally, it is found that a method of manufacturing a nozzle element and nozzle apparatus is provided that is relatively easy to implement and provides accurate alignment aiming of the orifice element using components that are easy to handle. Referring to FIG. 1, a nozzle assembly 20 aimed in accordance with the present invention includes a nozzle block 21 having parallel front faces 22 and rear faces 23. As shown in FIG. A fluid passageway 24 (see FIG. 11) is formed in the lower part of the nozzle block 21 and has one end terminating in an aperture 25 in the front face 22 and a second end 26 terminating in the rear face 23. The second portion 26 of the passageway 24 is preferably enlarged to receive a tube for connection to a source of liquid ink under pressure. Although fluid passageway 24 is shown emanating from the back of block 21, it is clear that connection to a source of compressed liquid ink may also be made through an aperture in the side of block 21. The positioning grooves 27 and 28 are
1 are formed on the sides 29 and 30 of 1. The vertical surface 31 and horizontal surface 32 of the locating grooves 28 and 29 serve as X-Y coordinate reference points with respect to the aperture 25 in the front surface 22. The orifice wafer 33 used in the present invention includes an orifice element 34 fixed to the wafer and bonded with the wafer to the front surface of the nozzle block 21 by an adhesive layer 35.

Orifice element 34 has an aperture 36 aligned with aperture 25 in nozzle block 21. As can be seen in FIG. 11, orifice aperture 36 has a substantially smaller diameter than aperture 25 (aperture 25 also extends into adhesive layer 35), and orifice element 34 has an outer diameter of substantially larger than the diameter of the aperture 25. As will become clear in the following description, the aperture 36 has a solid axis perpendicular to the back surface 23 of the nozzle block 21. The rear surface 23 serves as an aiming surface for the nozzle arrangement 20. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the nozzle block 21 is made by cutting a transverse section from the housing block 40.

Before cutting, transverse grooves 27 and 28 are provided in the sides of housing block 40. The groove is suitably sized to receive a dowel (not shown). The dowel is groove 2
7 and 28 are designed to maintain contact correspondence with one of the vertical surfaces 31 and horizontal surfaces 32. Additionally, prior to cutting the block 40, holes 41 are drilled through the entire block. This hole is located approximately in relation to the vertical surface 31 and horizontal surface 32 of the grooves 27 and 28. The housing block is cut so that surfaces 22 and 23 are parallel and perpendicular to surfaces 31 and 32.
After one piece has been cut, the hole 41 is enlarged in the back surface 23, giving an enlarged section 26, as can be seen in FIG.
This is to attach the tube as described above.

The next step in fabricating nozzle assembly 20 is to assemble the orifice wafer.

The method for manufacturing the orifice wafer 33 is as follows. A ceramic wafer block 43 (see FIGS. 3-6) having a substantially square cross section is machined to have precisely orthogonal side surfaces 44 and bottom surface 45.

Positioning groove 46 (preferably having a square cross section)
is provided on the top of the block 43. The installation of the groove 46 is such that the inner surface 47 is parallel to the outer surface 44 and the bottom surface 48
is parallel to the external bottom surface 45. The next processing step 7° is to place a straight piece of orifice glass tube 49 into groove 46 so that the circumference of this tube contacts internal locating surfaces 47 and 48. Orifice glass tube 49 is preferably longer than wafer block 43, and its ends extend beyond end surfaces 50 and 51 of wafer block 43. Orifice glass tube 49 is pre-stretched to have a substantially uniform external diameter over its entire length. This external diameter is larger than the diameter of the aperture 25 in the front face 22 of the nozzle block 21, as described above. Furthermore, the tube 49
The aperture 36 in the front face 22 of the nozzle block 21 is made to a desired size somewhat smaller than the diameter of the aperture 25 in the front face 22 of the nozzle block 21. A variety of glass stretching devices may be used and are well known in the prior art. These are 1 of the present invention
does not form a section. After placing tube 49 into groove 46, end plates 52 and 53 are loosely attached to the tube extending beyond front 50 and back 51 of wafer block 43. End plates 52, 53 and tube hold tube 49 in contact with internal positioning surfaces 47 and 48. The block 43 is tilted slightly from the vertical position so that the tube 49 remains in contact with the interior surfaces 47 and 48 of the groove 46. Other methods of bringing tube 49 into contact with internal positioning surfaces 47 and 48 include cutting groove 46 substantially the same size as the tube diameter or cutting ceramic at one or more points along tube 49. The wedge shape used is provided in the groove 46.
These methods may be used when the tube is not straight. Groove 46 is then filled with powdered adhesive glass or shredded fibers, substantially filling the space outside the tube. A ceramic cover plate 54 is placed on the top surface 55 of the wafer block, completely closing the groove 46 filled with adhesive glass. The assembly is then placed in the empty chamber and placed in a slightly tilted position as shown in FIG. The assembly is then heated to a temperature that melts only the adhesive glass (
For example, the wafer block 43 is heated to 46'C).
The encapsulation of tube 49 at is completed. Heating is applied for a period of time (e.g., 30 minutes) necessary for the adhesive glass to fill the space not occupied by tube 49, during which time the tube is exposed to internal positioning surfaces 47 and 4 over its entire length.
8 will be kept in contact. Following heating, the entire assembly is cooled, the adhesive glass solidifies, and the glass tube 49
is fixed to the wafer block 43.

Since the width of the groove 46 relative to the diameter of the orifice glass tube 49 can be varied, the desired width is such that capillary action occurs as the bonding glass melts, resulting in a more complete bond in the region between the ends of the groove. It's about the same width. After cooling to room temperature, the wafer block orifice tube assembly is ready to be cut into wafers 33, as shown in FIG. Preferably, the cuts are made using a plurality of evenly spaced saws 56 that are movable relative to the assembly. To achieve accurate aiming of the orifice element 34 of FIG. 1, the saw is adapted to cut along a plane perpendicular to the outer surfaces 44 and 45 of the wafer block 43. Setting and cutting may be done in a variety of ways well known in the art;
Preferably, the assembly of procs 43 is mounted on the workpiece fixture of the Guyang saw machine. The assembly can be adjusted so that surfaces 44 and 45 are exactly perpendicular to the saw plane. After setting, the proc is fed parallel to the saw face and the cut is made. Although a rotary saw is shown, a reciprocating saw may also be used. Although the wafers may be cut singly in accordance with the present invention, it is preferable to cut each wafer simultaneously using a Guyang saw apparatus, as shown in FIG. This is because it provides a uniform thickness throughout the entire length of the wafer. If cutting is done with a single-blade saw, the wafers may be cut to non-uniform thickness during the cutting process, and an additional A finishing step will be required. Furthermore, cutting the edge wafers from the block may be abandoned. This is because the ends of tubes 49 extend outside the wafer body of these end wafers. Further, as mentioned above, depending on the relative sizes of groove 46 and tube 49, the adhesive glass filler may completely fill the space not occupied by the tube in the deposit area near the edge of the wafer block. may not fill or provide sufficient tight contact throughout the area. As previously discussed, the wafer is cut to a size that is thicker than the final desired length of the aperture 36 of the orifice element 34.

For maximum accuracy, the front face 22 of the nozzle block 21
The surface of the wafer 33 on the side to be bonded is lapped and polished. As can be seen from FIGS. 8 to 11, the process of placing the wafer on the block 21 is as follows.

A thin layer of adhesive of uniform thickness is applied to the nozzle block 21.
is attached to the front surface 22 of. Preferably, the adhesive is adhesive glass. The adhesive glass may be applied with a brush. In that case, application is done only in the lower part of the front face 22, somewhat below the ends of the alignment surfaces 32 of the grooves 27 and 28. The adhesive glass layer 35 may be produced by a method of depositing adhesive glass particles from a colloidal suspension subjected to centrifugal force. In that case, the entire surface 22 may be coated, or the top portion may be masked and then removed to leave a sticky coating only on the bottom layer. By the centrifugal method of depositing the adhesive glass layer on the surface 22, very thin uniform layers are directly achieved. However, if the adhesive glass layer is made by coating, the first
The layer is ground to the desired thickness, as shown by line 57 in FIG.
3 and substantially parallel to each other. After grinding the adhesive layer 35, the orifice wafer 33 is placed thereon and the apertures 36 of the orifice elements 34 are aligned with the apertures 25. The alignment is in the vertical plane 31 of groove 27 and in grooves 27 and 2.
This is done accurately using the horizontal plane 32 of No. 8 as a reference. These surfaces accurately position the center of aperture 36 within aperture 25. The wafer 33 is then lightly stacked onto the block 21. The assembly is heated to a temperature that melts the adhesive layer 35 of the adhesive glass. The overlay of the wafer alignment onto the block 21 must be relatively light so that when the bonding glass melts it does not protrude into the aperture 36 of the orifice element 34. After a reasonable heating time (
(approximately 30 minutes), the assembly is allowed to cool. Layer 35 of adhesive glass attaches wafer 33 to front surface 22 of nozzle block 21.
firmly adheres to. This bond provides a fluid-tight seal around the aperture 25 and between the orifice element and the block 21. Following cooling, the orifice wafer 33 is lapped and ground to the desired thickness to obtain the desired aspect ratio of the apertures 32. Orifice wafer 3
The grinding of the outer surface of 3 is done along a line 58 parallel to the back surface 23 of the nozzle flock 21. This ensures that the aperture 36 of the orifice element 34 is accurately aimed with respect to the back surface 23 of the nozzle block 21.
Thus, when the completed nozzle assembly is loaded onto an ink generator, the orifice element 34 aligns the nozzle block 21 with respect to the X-Y position formed by the back surface 23 and surfaces 31,32. By positioning it, you can aim accurately. It can thus be seen that an improved nozzle arrangement having precision in orifice size and orientation is provided.

Furthermore, the manufacturing method is relatively simple. By forming the orifice element as an integral part of the large wafer element, handling of the orifice element and its location opposite the aperture 25 in the orifice block 21 is easily managed. Furthermore, by using positioning grooves,
Orifice aperture 36 can be positioned very accurately in a relatively easy manner. Although a variety of materials may be used to manufacture the nozzle apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the preferred materials for practicing the present invention include the machine for forming the nozzle block 23, wafer body 33, and cover plate 54. It is a processable ceramic.

As previously mentioned, the orifice element 34 is formed from a glass tube, and the filling material and adhesive material are adhesive glass. These specific materials may be selected so that their expansion coefficients are relatively close to each other.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nozzle device manufactured according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a method of manufacturing the nozzle block portion of the nozzle device of the present invention, and FIGS. A series of figures illustrating a method of manufacturing an orifice wafer used in a nozzle device, FIG. 7 is a front view of an orifice wafer manufactured according to the method shown in FIGS. 8-11 are a series of diagrams illustrating the steps for incorporating the wafer device of FIG. 7 into a /zle block formed in accordance with FIG. 20...Nozzle device, 21...Nozzle block, 22...Front, 23...
Back surface, 24... Fluid passage, 25... Opening, 26... Second portion of passage, 27, 28...
...Positioning groove, 29, 30...Side surface, 31
... Vertical surface, 33 ... Orifice wafer, 34 ... Orifice element, 35 ...
... Adhesive layer, 36 ... Opening, ... Opening, ... Side surface, 4 part surface, 4 40 ... Housing block, 4143 ...
...Uenoi Protsuk, 44...5...
・Bottom surface, 46...groove, 47...inner 8・
...Bottom, 49...Orifice tube, 50
, 51... end face, 52, 53... end plate, 54... cover plate, 55...
...Top surface.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A groove is provided in the wafer block, a long and thin tube with an opening serving as an annular orifice element is inserted into the groove, the remaining space of the groove is filled and fixed with solidified filler, and the wafer block is placed on a flat surface with both cross sections parallel to each other. forming an orifice wafer by holding the wafer around an annular orifice element, and forming a nozzle block having flat surfaces at the front and rear parts, the flat surfaces being parallel to each other. forming a fluid passageway in the nozzle block for connection to a source of pressurized fluid, the fluid passageway having an opening having a diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the annular orifice element and larger than an opening in the orifice element; in the front flat surface of the nozzle block, and the orifice wafer is bonded to the front flat surface of the nozzle block so that the opening of the orifice element is aligned with the opening of the fluid passage. forming a fluid-tight seal around an aperture in a front planar surface of a nozzle and an annular orifice element.