Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.

Hitachi Printing Solutions, Ltd.

Akira Kashimura

Takashi Sato

Kenji Yamada

Kenichi Kugai

Nobuhiro Noto

Hiroshi Takahagi

Norimass Kondo

An inkjet head includes a pair of support plates A, B and a diaphragm plate interposed between the support plates A, B. In this configuration, even when adhesion between the diaphragm plate and the support plate B is insecure, and when a piezoelectric element deforms a diaphragm toward a pressure chamber , that is, in a direction away from the support plate B, the support plate A prevents the diaphragm plate from peeling off the support plate B. Accordingly, the dimension and thus a deforming amount of the diaphragm is maintained uniform, whereby a uniform ink ejection performance is maintained.

Configuration of inkjet head realizing uniform ink ejection performance

In the ink jet printer using hot melt ink, a heater is provided for overheating hot melt ink in the ink supply channel. The collector is provided for collecting air bubbles generated when the hot melt ink is overheated by the heater. The air bubbles, collected in the collector, are then expelled from the release valve. The hot melt ink is subsequently cooled before the ink enters the print head section, where the air is dissolved in the ink. The above-described air bubble-releasing and -dissolving processes are repeatedly performed as the ink is circulated due to the maintained difference in ink level between the ink supply chamber and the ink collecting chamber.

Method and apparatus for removing air bubbles from hot melt ink in an

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Hitachinaka, Japan

Akira Kashimura