Amplitude conversion actuator for ink jet printer head

TLDR: In this article, the authors proposed to make it possible to discharge ink at low drive voltage by forming a weight part which comes in contact with an oscillation element at the tip of a leaf spring formed in one piece with a base between the oscillation elements and a nozzle orifice.

Abstract: PURPOSE:To make it possible to discharge ink at a low drive voltage by forming a weight part which comes in contact with an oscillation element at the tip of a leaf spring formed in one piece with a base between the oscillation element and a nozzle orifice. CONSTITUTION:If a starting pulse is applied to a piezoelectric amplitude 2, a piezoelectric element 2 becomes stretched sharply and the weight part 1b of an amplitude conversion actuator is pressed by the end surface 2a of the piezoelectric element 2 to come close to a nozzle orifice 3a. If an ending pulse is applied, the piezoelectric element 2 becomes contracted instead of stretched. However, the weight part 1b further approaches the nozzle orifice 3a due to a cycle comprising the relationship between the spring properties of a leaf spring part 1a and the weight of the weight part 1b, as the movement of the weight part 1b in a nozzle orifice direction is not restricted by the piezoelectric element 2. Then the speed is reduced to 0 when the weight part 1b comes in contact with a nozzle plate 3. Next, the weight part 1b shifts to a restoration process due to the spring properties of the leaf spring part 1a and comes in contact with the end surface 2a of the piezoelectric element 2. Thus the device is initialized. A pressure generates due to the oscillation of this movement and ink 4 is discharged from the nozzle orifice 3a in the form of ink droplets.