JP2016132190A - Pressure regulating valve, liquid spray head and liquid spray device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pressure regulating valve, a liquid spray head and a liquid spray device which can suppress components of liquid from being piled so as to suppress leakage of the liquid.SOLUTION: The pressure regulating valve is provided with: a primary chamber 511; a secondary chamber 512 partitioned from the primary chamber by a bulkhead 513; a communication flow path 514 provided to penetrate through the bulkhead; a shaft-like valve body 55 inserted into the communication flow path; and a pressure receiving film body 517 which seals an opening of the secondary chamber and moves the valve body in a shaft direction. The valve body comprises: a supply path 553 provided therein; an inflow hole 554 that is provided at the primary chamber side in the shaft direction and communicates the supply path with the outside; and an outflow hole 555 that is provided at the secondary chamber side in the shaft direction and communicates the supply path with the outside. The valve body, when moved in the shaft direction through the communication path 514, can be switched between an opened state in which the inflow hole is opened to the primary chamber and the outflow hole is opened to the secondary chamber to communicate the primary chamber with the secondary chamber through the supply path and a closed state in which both inflow hole and outflow hole are opened to the primary chamber or the secondary chamber to block the supply path.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a pressure adjusting valve provided in the middle of a flow path to open and close the flow path, a liquid ejecting head including the pressure adjusting valve, and a liquid ejecting apparatus.

  As a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a liquid onto an ejected medium, for example, an ink jet recording apparatus that ejects ink as a liquid and performs printing on a paper, a recording sheet, or the like as an ejected medium is known.

  In such an ink jet recording apparatus, ink is supplied from a liquid storage means such as an ink tank to an ink jet recording head via a supply pipe such as a tube, and the ink supplied from the ink tank is used as a nozzle of the ink jet recording head. Some ejected as ink droplets from the opening. Further, there has been proposed an apparatus in which a pressure adjusting valve is provided in the middle of the flow path so that ink supplied from the liquid storage means is supplied to the ink jet recording head at a predetermined pressure (for example, Patent Document 1). And 2).

  The pressure regulating valve includes a valve seat and a valve body, and closes the flow path when the valve body comes into contact with the valve seat, and opens the flow path when the valve body is separated from the valve seat. It is like that. Such opening and closing of the valve seat and the valve body is performed by the pressure in the downstream flow path.

JP 2010-208048 A JP2013-132894A

  However, when the valve body and the valve seat of the pressure regulating valve repeatedly come into contact with each other, a component contained in the liquid accumulates, and the problem of blockage due to poor contact between the valve body and the valve seat due to the deposit occurs. is there.

  In particular, in the liquid ejecting head, when the pressure regulating valve is closed badly, the liquid leaks to cause liquid dripping from the nozzle opening, which contaminates the ejected medium or the liquid ejecting apparatus. is there.

  Such a problem is not limited to a pressure regulating valve used in a liquid jet head typified by an ink jet recording head, and similarly exists in pressure regulating valves used in other devices.

  In view of such circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pressure adjusting valve, a liquid ejecting head, and a liquid ejecting apparatus that can suppress liquid leakage by suppressing deposition of liquid components.

An aspect of the present invention that solves the above problems includes a primary chamber in a housing, a secondary chamber separated from the primary chamber by a partition in the housing, and a communication channel provided through the partition. And a shaft-shaped valve body inserted into the communication channel, and a pressure-receiving film body that seals the opening of the secondary chamber and moves the valve body in the axial direction with reference to atmospheric pressure. The valve body includes a supply passage provided inside, an inflow hole provided on the primary chamber side in the axial direction to communicate the supply passage with the outside, and the secondary chamber side in the axial direction. And an outflow hole that communicates the supply path with the outside, and the valve body moves in the communication channel in the axial direction, thereby opening the inflow hole into the primary chamber. In addition, the outflow hole is opened in the secondary chamber, and the primary chamber and the secondary chamber communicate with each other through the supply path. A pressure characterized by being able to switch between a valve state and a closed state in which both the inflow hole and the outflow hole are opened in the primary chamber or the secondary chamber to block the supply path. It is in the regulating valve.
In this aspect, the valve body and the housing can be opened and closed by changing the opening positions of the inflow hole and the outflow hole by moving the axial valve body in the axial direction without repeatedly contacting the valve body and the housing. , Deposits due to liquid agglomeration can be reduced. Moreover, even if the condensed liquid accumulates, the deposit can be scraped off by the movement of the valve element.

  Here, it is preferable that an elastic member in contact with the valve body is provided in the communication channel. According to this, the valve body and the communication channel are brought into close contact with each other by the elastic member, and liquid leakage can be suppressed.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid ejecting head including the pressure regulating valve according to the above aspect and a head body that ejects the liquid supplied from the pressure regulating valve.
According to this aspect, it is possible to suppress the liquid leakage by suppressing the deposition of the liquid component, and it is possible to realize a liquid ejecting head that suppresses the contamination by the liquid.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid ejecting apparatus including the pressure regulating valve according to the above aspect.
In such an aspect, it is possible to suppress the liquid leakage by suppressing the deposition of the liquid component, and it is possible to realize a liquid ejecting apparatus that suppresses the contamination by the liquid.

1 is a plan view of a recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the recording head according to the first embodiment of the invention. It is sectional drawing of the head main body which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is principal part sectional drawing of the pressure control valve which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is principal part sectional drawing of the pressure control valve which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is principal part sectional drawing of the pressure control valve which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is principal part sectional drawing of the pressure control valve which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments.
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a plan view of an ink jet recording apparatus which is an example of a liquid ejecting apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ink jet recording apparatus 1 includes a main body frame 2 having a rectangular shape in plan view. In the main body frame 2, a medium support member 3 that supports an ejected medium (not shown) extends along a first direction X that is a main scanning direction. A medium to be ejected such as paper is fed onto the medium support member 3 along a second direction Y orthogonal to the first direction X, which is the sub-scanning direction, by a paper feed mechanism (not shown). Yes. A rod-shaped guide shaft 4 extending in parallel with the first direction X of the medium support member 3 is installed above the medium support member 3 in the main body frame 2.

  A carriage 5 is supported on the guide shaft 4 so as to be capable of reciprocating in the first direction X along the guide shaft 4. The carriage 5 is connected to a carriage motor 7 provided on the main body frame 2 via an endless timing belt 6 that is hung between a pair of pulleys 6 a provided on the main body frame 2. Thus, the carriage 5 is reciprocated along the guide shaft 4 by driving the carriage motor 7.

  The carriage 5 holds an ink jet recording head 15 (hereinafter also simply referred to as a recording head 15), which is an example of the liquid ejecting head of the present embodiment. The recording head 15 of the present embodiment includes a head main body 20 and a pressure adjusting valve 50 that supplies ink from the ink tank 8 serving as a liquid storage unit to the head main body 20.

  As will be described in detail later, a plurality of nozzle openings are provided on the surface of the head main body 20 facing the medium support member 3, and by driving a pressure generating means (not shown) provided in the head main body 20. The ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle openings onto the ejection target medium fed onto the medium support member 3 so that the dots are landed by the ink droplets, that is, printing is performed.

  A tank holder 9 is provided on one end side in the first direction X of the main body frame 2, and a plurality of ink tanks 8 as liquid storage means are detachably mounted on the tank holder 9. In the present embodiment, two ink tanks 8 are provided. Each ink tank 8 contains different types (colors) of ink.

  Each ink tank 8 mounted on the tank holder 9 is connected to the pressure regulating valve 50 of the present embodiment via a supply pipe 10 such as a tube. The pressure adjusting valve 50 temporarily stores each color ink supplied from each ink tank 8 via each supply pipe 10, and individually supplies each color ink temporarily supplied to the head body 20. Is done.

  A maintenance unit 11 for performing maintenance such as cleaning of the head main body 20 is provided in a position near one end in the first direction X in the main body frame 2 and in the home position area of the carriage 5. The maintenance unit 11 includes a cap 12 for contacting the head body 20 so as to surround each nozzle opening of the head body 20 and receiving ink discharged from each nozzle opening by flushing. A suction pump (not shown) capable of suction.

  Then, with the cap 12 in contact with the head main body 20 so as to surround each nozzle opening of the head main body 20, the inside of the cap 12 is sucked by a suction pump (not shown), thereby increasing the viscosity of the ink from each nozzle opening. So-called cleaning is performed in which bubbles or the like are forcibly discharged into the cap 12.

  A recording head 15 mounted on such an ink jet recording apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an ink jet recording head that is an example of the liquid jet head according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the head main body.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the head main body 20 constituting the recording head 15 of the present embodiment includes a discharge unit 30 that ejects ink droplets and a flow path member 40 that supplies ink to the discharge unit 30.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the discharge unit 30 includes an actuator unit 31, a case 32 that can accommodate the actuator unit 31 therein, a flow path unit 33 joined to one surface of the case 32, and the other surface of the case 32. And a wiring board 34 fixed to the board.

  In the actuator unit 31 of the present embodiment, a piezoelectric actuator forming member 311 in which a plurality of piezoelectric actuators 310 are arranged in parallel along the direction in which the nozzle openings 334 are arranged, and the tip (one end) side of the piezoelectric actuator forming member 311 are free. The base plate (the other end) side has a fixed plate 312 joined as a fixed end so as to be an end.

  The piezoelectric actuator forming member 311 is formed by laminating the piezoelectric material 313 and the electrode forming materials 314 and 315 alternately.

  In the piezoelectric actuator forming member 311, a plurality of slits 316 are formed by, for example, a wire saw or the like, and the piezoelectric actuator 310 is arranged in parallel by cutting the tip end side into a comb-like shape. In the present embodiment, the direction in which the piezoelectric actuators 310 are juxtaposed is the direction in which the nozzle openings 334 are juxtaposed, and is arranged so as to be in the first direction X when mounted in the ink jet recording apparatus 1 described above. The Therefore, hereinafter, the direction in which the nozzle openings 334 are arranged side by side is referred to as a first direction X, and the direction orthogonal to the first direction X is referred to as a second direction Y as in the ink jet recording apparatus 1. Of course, when the head body 20 is mounted on the ink jet recording apparatus 1, the direction in which the nozzle openings 334 are arranged in parallel does not have to coincide with the first direction X, and is not particularly limited. In the present embodiment, a direction orthogonal to both the first direction X and the second direction Y is referred to as a third direction Z.

  Here, the region joined to the fixed plate 312 of the piezoelectric actuator 310 is an inactive region that does not contribute to vibration, and when a voltage is applied between the electrode forming materials 314 and 315 constituting the piezoelectric actuator 310, the fixed plate Only the region on the tip side that is not joined to 312 vibrates. And the front end surface of the piezoelectric actuator 310 is fixed to the diaphragm 331 mentioned later.

  Each piezoelectric actuator 310 of the actuator unit 31 is connected to a circuit board 318 such as a COF on which a drive circuit 317 such as a drive IC for driving the piezoelectric actuator 310 is mounted.

  The flow path unit 33 includes a flow path forming substrate 330, a vibration plate 331, and a nozzle plate 332.

  A plurality of pressure generation chambers 333 are arranged in parallel on the flow path forming substrate 330, and a nozzle plate 332 having a nozzle opening 334 corresponding to each pressure generation chamber 333 and a vibration plate 331 on both sides of the flow path forming substrate 330. And is sealed. In this embodiment, two rows in which the pressure generation chambers 333 are arranged in parallel are provided. The flow path forming substrate 330 is formed with a manifold 336 that communicates with each pressure generation chamber 333 via an ink supply path 335 and serves as a common ink chamber for the plurality of pressure generation chambers 333 for each column. . That is, in the present embodiment, a manifold 336 is formed for each row of pressure generation chambers 333.

  In addition, the tip of the piezoelectric actuator 310 is fixed to a region of the diaphragm of the flow path forming substrate 330 facing each pressure generation chamber 333.

  A compliance portion 337 is provided in a region corresponding to the manifold 336 of the vibration plate 331. The compliance portion 337 plays a role of absorbing the pressure change when the pressure change occurs in the manifold 336 and deforming the compliance portion 337 to keep the pressure in the manifold 336 constant.

  The case 32 is joined to the flow path unit 33 and provided with an ink introduction path 321 for supplying ink from the pressure regulating valve 50 connected to the ink tank 8 to the manifold 336. In the present embodiment, a total of two ink introduction paths 321 are provided, one for each manifold 336. The ink supplied from the ink tank 8 to the ink introduction path 321 via the pressure adjustment valve 50 is supplied to the manifold 336 and distributed to each pressure generation chamber 333 via the ink supply path 335.

  The case 32 is provided with accommodating portions 322 corresponding to the rows of pressure generating chambers 333. That is, in the present embodiment, two accommodating portions 322 are provided, and the actuator unit 31 is fixed in each accommodating portion 322.

  Further, a wiring board 34 is provided on the opposite side of the case 32 from the flow path unit 33, and the other end of the circuit board 318 having one end connected to the actuator unit 31 is connected to the wiring board 34. .

  In such a discharge unit 30, the volume of each pressure generation chamber 333 is changed by deformation of the piezoelectric actuator 310 and the vibration plate 331, and ink droplets are discharged from a predetermined nozzle opening 334.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the flow path member 40 has a pressure regulating valve 50 fixed on one side and supplies ink from the pressure regulating valve 50 to the ejection unit 30 fixed on the other side. .

  Specifically, the flow path member 40 is provided with an ink communication path 41, and a filter 42 that removes foreign matters such as dust and bubbles contained in the ink is formed on one surface where the ink communication path 41 opens. A supply needle 43 provided on the filter 42 is provided.

  The supply needle 43 is inserted into a pressure adjusting valve 50 described later in detail. Ink from the pressure adjusting valve 50 passes through the inside of the supply needle 43 and is removed from the foreign matter by the filter 42, and then supplied to the ejection unit 30 via the ink communication path 41.

  The pressure adjustment valve 50 connected to the flow path member 40 and supplying ink from the ink tank to the recording head will be further described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged cross-sectional views of the main part of the pressure regulating valve.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, since two different types of ink are supplied to one head body 20, two pressure regulating valves 50 are fixed to the flow path member 40. . In the present embodiment, each direction of the flow path member 40 is based on the direction when the ink jet recording apparatus 1 is mounted, that is, the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z. I will explain. Of course, the arrangement of the flow path member 40 in the ink jet recording apparatus 1 is not limited to the following.

  As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, each pressure regulating valve 50 is a valve that is provided in the middle of the flow path of ink and opens and closes the flow path. Specifically, the pressure regulating valve 50 of this embodiment includes a housing 51 and a valve body 55 provided in the housing 51.

  The housing 51 communicates with an ink tank 8 serving as a liquid storage unit via a supply pipe 10 and a primary chamber 511 to which ink is supplied from the ink tank 8 and an ink communication path 41 of the head body 20. A secondary chamber 512 is provided. The primary chamber 511 and the secondary chamber 512 are separated by a partition wall 513. The primary chamber 511 and the secondary chamber 512 communicate with each other via a communication path 514 provided through the partition wall 513.

  The primary chamber 511 is formed by sealing a recess formed on one surface of the housing 51 with a lid member 515. In addition, one end of an inflow passage 516 is provided in the primary chamber 511 so as to communicate therewith. The ink tank 8 is connected to the other end of the inflow path 516 through the supply pipe 10.

  The secondary chamber 512 has a concave shape that opens on the side surface of the housing 51 opposite to the primary chamber 511. In addition, a film 517 that is a pressure-receiving film body is attached to a surface of the housing 51 where the secondary chamber 512 opens, and the opening of the secondary chamber 512 is sealed with the film 517. Further, one end of the outflow passage 518 communicates with the secondary chamber 512, and a first seal member 519 is provided at the other end of the outflow passage 518 opposite to the one end communicating with the secondary chamber 512. It has been. The supply needle 43 of the flow path member 40 is inserted into the first seal member 519 and connected to the outflow path 518.

  Here, the film 517 which is a pressure receiving film body can use a flexible material having resistance to the liquid (ink) supplied to the secondary chamber 512. In addition, as the film 517, it is preferable to use a material having a low moisture permeability, a gas permeability such as liquid oxygen or nitrogen. Examples of the material of the film 517 include a configuration in which a nylon film coated with vinylidene chloride (saran) is bonded and laminated to a high-density polyethylene film or a polypropylene (PP) film. Moreover, you may use a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) etc. as another material. The bonding method of the film 517 is not particularly limited, and heat welding, vibration welding, adhesion with an adhesive, or the like can be used.

  The part which comprises a part of wall surface of the secondary chamber 512 of such a film 517 becomes the diaphragm 517a. A pressure receiving plate 520 is provided on the surface of the diaphragm 517a on the secondary chamber 512 side. The pressure receiving plate 520 of the present embodiment has a disk shape having an outer shape smaller than that of the diaphragm 517a. Such a pressure receiving plate 520 is provided in order to prevent the valve body 55 that opens and closes the communication path 514 from directly contacting the film 517, and is made of a material that is higher in rigidity than the film 517, such as a resin. Or metal can be used. In this embodiment, the pressure receiving plate 520 has an outer shape smaller than that of the diaphragm 517 a, but is not particularly limited thereto, and one end of the pressure receiving plate 520 is fixed between the film 517 and the housing 51 outside the secondary chamber 512. May be.

  The secondary chamber 512 penetrates in the bottom surface of the secondary chamber 512, that is, in the partition wall 513 facing the diaphragm 517 a of the housing 51 in the thickness direction that is the direction in which the primary chamber 511 and the secondary chamber 512 are partitioned. And a primary passage 514 communicating with the primary chamber 511 is provided.

  Since such a housing 51 has a complicated shape including a primary chamber 511, a secondary chamber 512, a communication passage 514, and the like, it can be formed easily and at low cost by molding a resin material. Of course, the material of the housing 51 is not limited to a resin material, and for example, a metal material, a ceramic material, or the like can be used. The housing 51 is formed of a material having higher rigidity than the film 517. Incidentally, if the rigidity of the housing 51 is low, for example, the shape of the secondary chamber 512 is not stable, the pressure difference between the ink pressure in the secondary chamber 512 and the atmospheric pressure outside the film 517 is not stable, and the valve body There is a possibility that the opening / closing operation of the communication path 514 by 55 cannot be performed stably. In addition, the shape of the communication path 514 may not be stable, and the communication path 514 may not be normally closed. Therefore, the housing 51 is preferably formed of a material having a certain degree of rigidity.

  A second seal member 57 is provided on the inner surface of the communication path 514 of the housing 51. The second seal member 57 is formed of an elastic material such as rubber or elastomer, and has a ring shape provided continuously over the circumferential direction of the inner surface of the communication path 514. Further, the second seal member 57 is disposed so that the cross section in the radial direction of the communication path 514 has a semicircular shape, and the center side of the communication path 514 is a curved surface.

  The valve body 55 is inserted through such a communication path 514. The valve body 55 includes a shaft portion 551 inserted through the communication passage 514 and a flange portion 552 provided on an end surface in the primary chamber 511 of the shaft portion 551.

  The shaft portion 551 of the valve body 55 has an outer diameter slightly smaller than that of the communication path 514 and has an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the second seal member 57. Therefore, the shaft portion 551 is in pressure contact with the inner surface of the second seal member 57 and is movable in the first direction X, which is the axial direction, in the communication path 514. That is, the shaft portion 551 and the second seal member 57 of the communication path 514 are in close contact with each other in a state where pressure is applied in the radial direction of the communication path 514.

  Such a shaft portion 551 is provided with a supply path 553 extending in the axial direction. Further, the side surface of the shaft portion 551 is provided on the primary chamber 511 side, that is, on the flange portion 552 side, and on the inflow hole 554 that communicates the supply path 553 with the outside, on the secondary chamber side, that is, on the film 517 side. An outflow hole 555 that is provided and communicates between the supply path 553 and the outside is provided. One inflow hole 554 and one outflow hole 555 may be provided, and a plurality of inflow holes 554 and a plurality of outflow holes 555 may be provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the shaft portion 551. In the present embodiment, a plurality of inflow holes 554 and outflow holes 555 are provided. In addition, the fact that the inflow hole 554 and the outflow hole 555 are open on the side surface of the shaft portion 551 means that the inflow hole 554 and the outflow hole 555 are provided on the surface of the shaft portion 551 facing the communication path 514.

  One end of the shaft portion 551 in the secondary chamber 512 abuts on the substantially central portion of the pressure receiving plate 520. Further, a flange portion 552 is fixed to the other end of the shaft portion 551 in the primary chamber 511. The flange portion 552 is made of a circular plate-like member, and functions as a spring receiver with which the coil spring 56 abuts on the side opposite to the shaft portion 551. The coil spring 56 is interposed between the flange portion 552 and the lid member 515 that defines the primary chamber 511, and the valve body 55 uses the urging force of the coil spring 56 as the axial direction of the shaft portion 551. It is biased toward the secondary chamber 512 side.

  Here, the force acting on the valve body 55 includes the reaction force of the film 517, the force acting on the pressure receiving plate 520 and the diaphragm 517a upon receiving the ink pressure in the secondary chamber 512, the biasing force of the coil spring 56, and the supply of ink. There is a force acting on the valve body 55 under pressure.

  The reaction force of the film 517 is a force that the diaphragm 517a that has been bent and deformed tries to restore the original shape. The reaction force of the film 517 increases as the deformation amount of the diaphragm 517a, that is, the deflection amount increases. Such reaction force of the film 517 is transmitted to the shaft portion 551 through the pressure receiving plate 520.

  The force acting on the pressure receiving plate 520 and the diaphragm 517a upon receiving the ink pressure in the secondary chamber 512 is expressed by the product of the pressure receiving area of the pressure receiving plate 520 and the diaphragm 517a receiving the ink pressure and the ink pressure. When the liquid in the secondary chamber 512 is caused to flow downstream from the outflow passage 518 and the ink in the secondary chamber 512 decreases, the differential pressure between the ink pressure and the atmospheric pressure increases, and the pressure receiving plate 520 and the diaphragm 517a The power to work increases. The force acting on the pressure receiving plate 520 and the diaphragm 517a acts as a force in the valve opening direction on the valve body 55 via the shaft portion 551.

  The biasing force of the coil spring 56 is a force that biases the valve body 55 in the valve closing direction. As described above, in this embodiment, the valve body 55 applies a force to the pressure receiving plate 520 opposite to the force acting on the pressure receiving plate 520 and the diaphragm 517 a by the coil spring 56 due to the pressure of the ink in the secondary chamber 512. In order to displace the pressure receiving plate 520 until the valve body 55 reaches the valve opening position, it is necessary to reduce the ink in the secondary chamber 512 to a lower pressure by an amount corresponding to the urging force of the coil spring 56 ( Operating pressure).

  In such a pressure regulating valve 50, as shown in FIG. 5A, the ink in the secondary chamber 512 is caused to flow downstream, and the pressure in the secondary chamber 512 is reduced to a negative pressure rather than the atmospheric pressure. The diaphragm 517a moves to the bottom surface side of the secondary chamber 512, and the pressure receiving plate 520 presses the valve body 55 against the urging force of the coil spring 56, thereby moving the valve body 55 to the primary chamber 511 side. A second seal member 57 that closely contacts the communication path 514 and the shaft portion 551 is disposed between the inflow hole 554 and the outflow hole 555 of the shaft portion 551. As a result, the inflow hole 554 of the shaft portion 551 opens into the primary chamber 511 and the outflow hole 555 opens into the secondary chamber 512, and the primary chamber 511 and the secondary chamber 512 communicate with each other via the supply path 553. That is, the valve is opened (opened state).

  Further, when the ink is supplied from the primary chamber 511 to the secondary chamber 512 through the supply path 553 by opening the valve, the decompression in the secondary chamber 512 is eliminated, as shown in FIG. The diaphragm 517a is returned to the original position by the biasing force of the coil spring 56, and the second seal member 57 is disposed between the inflow hole 554 and the flange portion 552. As a result, both the inflow hole 554 and the outflow hole 555 of the shaft portion 551 open to the secondary chamber 512, whereby the primary chamber 511 and the secondary chamber 512 do not communicate with each other, that is, are closed (valve closed state). .

  That is, the seal member and the shaft portion 551 of the valve body 55 do not always open and close the valve by abutting the same place, but a place where the abutment is made when the valve is opened and a place where the abutment is made when the valve is closed. Can be different places.

  Here, the pigment particles contained in the ink accumulate in a minute space formed when the valve body and the valve seat come into contact with each other, and are aggregated by being compressed and dehydrated. Adhering to and depositing. When the agglomerated ink accumulates on the valve body and the valve seat in this way, the valve is not reliably closed and ink leakage occurs. However, in this embodiment, the valve body and the valve seat are not opened and closed by repeatedly separating and contacting, but are opened and closed by changing the opening positions of the inflow hole 554 and the outflow hole 555 by the movement of the shaft portion 551. To do. Therefore, ink aggregation and accumulation due to repeated contact can be reduced. Further, as shown in FIG. 6A, even if the aggregated ink is accumulated at the portion where the second seal member 57 and the surface of the shaft portion 551 are in contact with each other, FIG. 6B and FIG. As shown, since the second seal member 57 slides on the surface of the shaft portion 551 by moving the shaft portion 551 to open and close, the deposit 60 adhering to the shaft portion 551 is scraped by the second seal member 57. Can be dropped. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of ink leakage due to the deposit.

(Other embodiments)
As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, the basic composition of this invention is not limited to what was mentioned above.

  For example, in Embodiment 1 described above, the bottom is not particularly limited to this, so that the outflow hole 555 is provided on the side surface of the shaft portion 551. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the outflow hole 555 may be opened at the end surface of the shaft portion 551 that contacts the pressure receiving plate 520.

  In addition, the shaft portion 551 is not limited to a columnar one or a column having a cylindrical cross section. For example, a polygonal columnar shape such as a quadrangular column may be used. However, by making the shaft portion 551 cylindrical, the contact pressure between the second seal member 57 and the shaft portion 551 can be made uniform over the circumferential direction, and ink leakage can be suppressed.

  Furthermore, in Embodiment 1 described above, the valve body 55 is provided with the flange portion 552 that is a spring receiver. However, the flange portion 552 is not necessarily required, and the end surface of the shaft portion 551 is a spring receiver. Also good.

  Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the second seal member 57 made of an elastic member is provided between the communication path 514 and the shaft portion 551. However, the present invention is not particularly limited thereto, and examples thereof include fluororesin and leather. The sealing member may be used. A liquid member may be used as the seal member.

  In the first embodiment described above, the second seal member 57 is fixed to the communication path 514 side of the housing 51. However, the second seal member 57 is not particularly limited to this, for example, on the outer periphery of the shaft portion 551. And the second seal member 57 and the inner surface of the communication path 514 may be in sliding contact with each other. Even in such a case, even if the aggregated ink accumulates on the inner surface of the communication path 514, the deposit can be scraped off by the seal member fixed to the outer periphery of the shaft portion 551.

  Furthermore, in Embodiment 1 described above, both the inflow hole 554 and the outflow hole 555 are closed by opening the secondary chamber 512, but the present invention is not particularly limited thereto. You may make it close a valve | bulb by making both the holes 555 open to the primary chamber 511.

  Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the piezoelectric actuator 310 that extends and contracts in the axial direction by alternately stacking the piezoelectric materials 313 and the electrode forming materials 314 and 315 as pressure generating means for causing a pressure change in the pressure generating chamber 333 is provided. As described above, the pressure generating means is not particularly limited. For example, the pressure generating means is formed by a method of forming a thin film type in which an electrode and a piezoelectric material are laminated by a lithography method and attaching a green sheet. A flexural vibration type piezoelectric actuator such as a thick film type can be used. Also, as a pressure generating means, a heating element is arranged in the pressure generating chamber, and droplets are discharged from the nozzle opening by bubbles generated by the heat generated by the heating element, or static electricity is generated between the diaphragm and the electrode. Thus, a so-called electrostatic actuator that discharges liquid droplets from the nozzle openings by deforming the diaphragm by electrostatic force can be used.

  In the ink jet recording apparatus 1 described above, the recording head 15 is mounted on the carriage 5 and moves in the first direction X. However, the present invention is not particularly limited thereto, and for example, the recording head 15 is fixed. Thus, the present invention can also be applied to a so-called line type recording apparatus that performs printing only by moving the ejection target medium in the second direction Y.

  In the above-described example, the ink jet recording apparatus 1 has a configuration in which the ink tank 8 which is a liquid storage unit is mounted on the tank holder 9 of the main body frame 2, but is not particularly limited thereto. A certain ink cartridge may be mounted on the carriage 5. The pressure adjustment valve 50 is not limited to the one mounted on the carriage 5, and the pressure adjustment valve 50 and the recording head 15 may be connected via a supply pipe such as a tube.

  Furthermore, the present invention is intended for a wide range of liquid ejecting apparatuses having a wide liquid ejecting head. For example, recording heads such as various ink jet recording heads used in image recording apparatuses such as printers, liquid crystal displays, and the like Liquid comprising a color material ejecting head used for manufacturing a color filter, an electrode material ejecting head used for forming an electrode such as an organic EL display and an FED (field emission display), a bioorganic matter ejecting head used for biochip manufacturing, etc. It can be used for an injection device.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the pressure regulating valve used for the liquid ejecting head and the liquid ejecting apparatus, and can be used for a pressure regulating valve used for other devices.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inkjet recording apparatus (liquid ejecting apparatus), 2 Main body frame, 3 Medium support member, 4 Guide shaft, 5 Carriage, 6 Timing belt, 7 Carriage motor, 8 Ink tank (liquid storage means), 9 Tank holder, 10 Supply Tube, 11 maintenance unit, 12 cap, 15 ink jet recording head (liquid ejecting head), 20 head body, 30 discharge section, 31 actuator unit, 32 case, 33 flow path unit, 34 wiring board, 40 flow path member, 50 Pressure adjusting valve, 51 housing, 55 valve body, 56 coil spring, 57 second seal member, 60 deposit, 310 piezoelectric actuator (pressure generating means), 321 ink introduction path, 331 diaphragm, 332 Slurry plate, 333 pressure generation chamber, 334 nozzle opening, 335 ink supply path, 336 manifold, 511 primary chamber, 512 secondary chamber, 513 partition, 514 communication path, 515 lid member, 516 inflow path, 517 film (pressure receiving film) Body), 517a diaphragm, 518 outflow path, 519 first seal member, 520 pressure receiving plate, 551 shaft section, 552 flange section, 553 supply path, 554 inflow hole, 555 outflow hole

Claims (4)

A primary chamber in the housing;
A secondary chamber separated from the primary chamber by a partition in the housing;
A communication channel provided through the partition;
An axial valve element inserted into the communication channel;
A pressure-receiving membrane body that seals the opening of the secondary chamber and moves the valve body in the axial direction on the basis of atmospheric pressure,
The valve body is
A supply path provided inside,
An inflow hole that is provided on the primary chamber side in the axial direction and communicates the supply path with the outside;
An outflow hole that is provided on the secondary chamber side in the axial direction and communicates the supply path with the outside;
Comprising
When the valve body moves in the communication channel in the axial direction, the inflow hole is opened in the primary chamber and the outflow hole is opened in the secondary chamber, so that the primary chamber and the secondary chamber are opened. A valve open state in which a chamber communicates with the supply path, and a valve closed state in which both the inflow hole and the outflow hole are opened in the primary chamber or the secondary chamber to block the supply path. A pressure regulating valve characterized by being switchable.   The pressure regulating valve according to claim 1, wherein an elastic member that contacts the valve body is provided in the communication channel.   3. A liquid ejecting head comprising: the pressure regulating valve according to claim 1; and a head main body that ejects liquid supplied from the pressure regulating valve.   A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising the pressure regulating valve according to claim 1.

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