Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Keishi Miwa

Toshiaki Masuda

Takahiko Kuroda

Keisuke Hayashi

Yukimasa Matsuda

Akira Shimofuku

Takuma Hirabayashi

Akio Yoshita

Kazuto Nagahashi

A liquid discharge head includes a piezoelectric element configured to vibrate; a damper configured to reduce vibration energy generated by the piezoelectric element; a first substrate joined to the damper, the first substrate having a first space facing one surface of the damper vibrates; a second substrate opposite to the first substrate via the damper, the second substrate having: a recess accommodating the piezoelectric element, and a second space facing another surface of the damper, the second space disposed opposite to the first space via the damper and a leg between the damper and the second substrate the leg joined to the second substrate with an adhesive including a filler.

Liquid discharge head, liquid discharge device, and liquid discharge apparatus

A liquid discharge head includes: multiple pressure chambers respectively communicating with multiple nozzles from each of which a liquid is discharged; a diaphragm defining a part of a wall of the multiple pressure chambers; an electromechanical conversion element attached to the diaphragm, the electromechanical conversion element configured to deform the diaphragm to discharge the liquid in the multiple pressure chambers through the multiple nozzles in a discharge direction; a damper film having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a channel substrate including: a common chamber communicating with each of the multiple pressure chambers; and a first bonding portion bonded to the first surface of the damper film; and a damper substrate including a second bonding portion bonded to the second surface of the damper film.

Liquid discharge head, liquid discharge unit, and liquid discharge apparatus

A liquid discharge head includes: a nozzle plate having: a nozzle surface; and a nozzle in the nozzle plate, a liquid being discharged from the nozzle of the nozzle surface side in a liquid discharge direction; a nozzle protector covering at least a part of the nozzle surface of the nozzle plate other than the nozzle; a nozzle protector holder including a peripheral wall bonded to a peripheral end portion of the nozzle protector; and a resin member between an edge face of the peripheral end portion of the nozzle protector and an end surface of the peripheral wall facing the nozzle protector.

Liquid discharge head and liquid discharge apparatus

A head module includes: a head including: a nozzle plate having a nozzle from which a liquid is to be discharged; a channel substrate including an individual channel communicating with the nozzle, the nozzle plate bonded to a first bonding surface of the channel substrate; and a cover covering at least one side of a discharge surface of the nozzle plate of the head. The channel substrate has a size larger than the nozzle plate, the cover has a second bonding surface bonded to the first bonding surface of the channel substrate at an outer region of the nozzle plate with an adhesive, the discharge surface of the nozzle plate is liquid-repellent, and the first bonding surfaces of the channel substrate and the second bonding surface of the cover are lyophilic.

Head module, liquid discharge head, and liquid discharge apparatus

A liquid discharge head includes: a nozzle plate having: a nozzle from which a liquid is to be discharged in a liquid discharge direction; and a nozzle face having the nozzle, the nozzle face directed in the liquid discharge direction; a nozzle protector configured to cover a portion of the nozzle face other than the nozzle; and a channel substrate including: a bonding part bonded to the nozzle protector with an adhesive; and a recess in a transverse portion of the bonding part extending in a transverse direction of the liquid discharge head, the recess filled with the adhesive.

A liquid discharge head is configured to discharge a liquid, and the liquid discharge head includes an actuator substrate and a holding substrate bonded to the actuator substrate. The actuator substrate includes a pressure generator, and a wiring electrode configured to electrically connect the pressure generator and an exterior of the liquid discharge head. The holding substrate includes an opening configured to expose the wiring electrode to the exterior of the liquid discharge head, and a detection surface adjacent to the opening, the detection surface having a higher reflectance than a surface of the wiring electrode of the actuator substrate.

Liquid discharge head, discharge device, liquid discharge apparatus, and bonded substrate

A liquid discharge head includes a nozzle configured to discharge a liquid, a pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle, a pressure generator configured to apply pressure on the pressure chamber, a first substrate including a terminal electrode connected to the pressure generator, and a second substrate including a bonding surface bonded to the first substrate, the second substrate including a terminal opening exposing the terminal electrode of the first substrate. The first substrate includes a through hole penetrating through the first substrate, and the second substrate includes a communication hole communicating with the through hole of the first substrate and an air communication channel on a surface opposite to the bonding surface, the air communication channel communicating with the terminal opening and the communicating hole.

A bonding member includes a first member, and a second member bonded to the first member with an adhesive in a bonding direction. The first member includes a bonding surface to be bonded to the second member in the bonding direction, and a surface portion lower than the bonding surface in the bonding direction. The surface portion of the first member is bonded to the second member with the adhesive in the bonding direction, and the second member includes a through hole opposed to the surface portion of the first member.

Bonding member, liquid discharge head, liquid discharge device, and liquid discharge apparatus

An electro-mechanical transducer includes a diaphragm plate on a substrate, a first electrode on the diaphragm plate, an electro-mechanical transducer film on the first electrode, and a second electrode on the electro-mechanical transducer film. One of the first electrode and the second electrode is a common electrode. Another of the first electrode and the second electrode is an individual electrode. At least a portion of the common electrode is laminated on and in contact with the diaphragm plate. The common electrode has a plurality of holes penetrating the common electrode in a lamination direction.

Electro-mechanical transducer, liquid discharge head, liquid discharge device, and liquid discharge apparatus

A piezoelectric element substrate is provided. The piezoelectric element substrate includes: a substrate member; a plurality of piezoelectric elements on the substrate member; a plurality of wiring patterns on one side of the substrate member on which the plurality of piezoelectric elements is disposed; and a bonding pattern in a region different from the wiring patterns on the one side of the substrate member. Each of the piezoelectric elements includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric body, and a second electrode. The wiring patterns are connected to the corresponding piezoelectric elements. The bonding pattern is to be bonded to another substrate directly or via an insulating film, and is made of a metal layer having a plurality of slots.

Piezoelectric element substrate, bonded substrate, liquid discharge head, liquid discharge unit, and liquid discharge apparatus

A piezoelectric thin-film element includes a diaphragm plate on a substrate; a lower electrode on the diaphragm plate; a piezoelectric film on the lower electrode, the piezoelectric film containing Pb; and an upper electrode on the piezoelectric film. The diaphragm plate is a laminate in which a silicon oxide layer, a silicon nitride layer, and an amorphous layer containing a metal oxide to trap Pb of the piezoelectric film are laminated in turn on the substrate. The amorphous layer has a thickness of preventing Pb of the piezoelectric film from reaching the silicon nitride layer.

Piezoelectric thin-film element, liquid discharge head, head module, liquid discharge device, liquid discharge apparatus, and method for manufacturing piezoelectric thin-film element

A bonded substrate includes a first substrate, a second substrate bonded to the first substrate with adhesive applied to the second substrate, and a checking structure disposed on the first substrate and facing the second substrate. The checking structure includes a bonding surface portion to be adhered to the second substrate with the adhesive and an insufficiency detection surface to detect insufficient adhesion, a height of the insufficiency detection surface being lower than a height of the bonding surface portion. The adhesive does not contact the insufficiency detection surface when an adhesion state of the bonding surface portion to the second substrate with the adhesive is insufficient, and the adhesive contacts the insufficiency detection surface when the adhesion state of the bonding surface portion to the second substrate with the adhesive is sufficient.

Bonded substrate, liquid discharge head, and liquid discharge apparatus

A liquid discharge head includes an actuator substrate and a holding substrate. The actuator substrate includes a plurality of individual liquid chambers and a plurality of pressure generating elements. The plurality of individual liquid chambers is communicated with a plurality of nozzles to discharge liquid. The plurality of pressure generating elements is arrayed to pressurize liquid in the plurality of individual liquid chambers. The holding substrate includes a plurality of recessed portions to accommodate the plurality of pressure generating elements. The holding substrate is bonded to the actuator substrate with an adhesive. The holding substrate has a plurality of openings as a plurality of channels communicating the plurality of individual liquid chambers with a common liquid chamber to supply liquid to the plurality of individual liquid chambers. At least one corner of each of the plurality of openings at least partially has a curved surface.

A method of producing an electromechanical transducer element includes forming a first, common electrode on one of a substrate and an undercoat layer; forming an electromechanical transducer film on the first electrode; forming a second electrode on the electromechanical transducer film; forming a first protective film on an upper surface of the second electrode, the electromechanical transducer film, and a side wall of the second electrode, and selectively forming a second protective film on a portion of the first protective film protecting the electromechanical transducer film and the side wall of the second electrode.

Method of producing electromechanical transducer element, electromechanical transducer element, liquid droplet discharge head, and image forming apparatus

An electromechanical transducer includes a substrate; a diaphragm formed on the substrate; and a piezoelectric element that includes a lower electrode; a piezoelectric member; and an upper electrode, in which a lower electrode film to form the lower electrode, a piezoelectric film to form the piezoelectric member, and an upper electrode film to form the upper electrode are laminated in layers on the diaphragm formed on the substrate. The piezoelectric element is formed such that the lower electrode film, the piezoelectric member film, and the upper electrode film are patterned to form the lower electrode, the piezoelectric member, and the upper electrode, each of which has a desired pattern; and corners of the lower electrode are rounded.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Keishi Miwa