Abstract: A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus includes a droplet ejection head, an absorber, a moving mechanism, and a controller. The droplet ejection head includes liquid passages having at their leading ends ejection openings which eject droplets, an ejection face which faces a recording medium onto which droplets ejected from the ejection openings are placed, and an actuator which applies energy to liquid inside the liquid passages. The absorber includes a liquid-absorbent facing portion which faces the ejection openings when the absorber faces the ejection face. The moving mechanism moves the droplet ejection head and the absorber relatively to each other such that the droplet ejection head and the absorber are positioned in an absorbing position where the ejection openings and the facing portion face each other.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nozzle plate including: a step for forming the nozzle hole on a plate to become the nozzle plate; a first photocurable resin injection step for (i) coating with a photocurable resin a first surface of the plate and (ii) injecting the photocurable resin into an area inside the nozzle hole; a first curing step for applying light to the plate, so as to form a first cured resin part including a columnar part and an annular part; a first uncured resin removing step for removing an uncured portion of the photocurable resin; a base film formation step for forming a base film on the first surface; a cured resin removing step for removing the first cured resin part; and a water-repellent film formation step for coating with a water-repellent film a surface of the base film and a portion of the first surface of the plate exposed from the base film.

Abstract: A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus includes a droplet ejection head, an absorber, a moving mechanism, and a controller. The droplet ejection head includes liquid passages having at their leading ends ejection openings which eject droplets, an ejection face which faces a recording medium onto which droplets ejected from the ejection openings are placed, and an actuator which applies energy to liquid inside the liquid passages. The absorber includes a liquid-absorbent facing portion which faces the ejection openings when the absorber faces the ejection face. The moving mechanism moves the droplet ejection head and the absorber relatively to each other such that the droplet ejection head and the absorber are positioned in an absorbing position where the ejection openings and the facing portion face each other.

Abstract: A nozzle plate includes a nozzle surface and a nozzle hole. The nozzle surface defines an ink ejection port. The nozzle hole includes a taper hole portion and a curved-surface hole portion. The taper hole portion has an inner surface of a truncated conical shape and has the smallest diameter at one end thereof. The curved-surface hole portion has an inner surface of a curved-surface shape. The inner diameter of the curved-surface hole portion gradually decreases as approaching from the one end of the taper hole portion to the ink ejection port.

Abstract: An actuator unit for applying pressure to liquid in each of pressure chambers formed in a passage unit includes a piezoelectric layer; a common electrode formed on one surface of the piezoelectric layer to be positioned over the pressure chambers; and electric field blocking layers formed on an opposite surface of the piezoelectric layer from the one surface to be opposed to the common electrode and outside regions of the respective pressure chambers. Each electric field blocking layer is porous and lower in dielectric constant than the piezoelectric layer. The actuator unit further includes lands each positioned to sandwich an electric field blocking layer between the land and the piezoelectric layer; and individual electrodes formed on the opposite surface to be opposed to the respective pressure chambers and the common electrode and neighbor the respective electric field blocking layers. Each individual electrode is electrically connected to the corresponding land.

Abstract: A nozzle plate includes a nozzle surface and a nozzle hole. The nozzle surface defines an ink ejection port. The nozzle hole includes a taper hole portion and a curved-surface hole portion. The taper hole portion has an inner surface of a truncated conical shape and has the smallest diameter at one end thereof. The curved-surface hole portion has an inner surface of a curved-surface shape. The inner diameter of the curved-surface hole portion gradually decreases as approaching from the one end of the taper hole portion to the ink ejection port.

Abstract: An actuator unit for applying pressure to liquid in each of pressure chambers formed in a passage unit includes a piezoelectric layer; a common electrode formed on one surface of the piezoelectric layer to be positioned over the pressure chambers; and electric field blocking layers formed on an opposite surface of the piezoelectric layer from the one surface to be opposed to the common electrode and outside regions of the respective pressure chambers. Each electric field blocking layer is porous and lower in dielectric constant than the piezoelectric layer. The actuator unit further includes lands each positioned to sandwich an electric field blocking layer between the land and the piezoelectric layer; and individual electrodes formed on the opposite surface to be opposed to the respective pressure chambers and the common electrode and neighbor the respective electric field blocking layers. Each individual electrode is electrically connected to the corresponding land.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nozzle plate including: a step for forming the nozzle hole on a plate to become the nozzle plate; a first photocurable resin injection step for (i) coating with a photocurable resin a first surface of the plate and (ii) injecting the photocurable resin into an area inside the nozzle hole; a first curing step for applying light to the plate, so as to form a first cured resin part including a columnar part and an annular part; a first uncured resin removing step for removing an uncured portion of the photocurable resin; a base film formation step for forming a base film on the first surface; a cured resin removing step for removing the first cured resin part; and a water-repellent film formation step for coating with a water-repellent film a surface of the base film and a portion of the first surface of the plate exposed from the base film.

Abstract: In order to avoid any positional misalignment between an ink passage hole formed on a manifold plate and a nozzle formed on a nozzle plate, the nozzle plate on which no nozzle has been formed, is stacked on and bonded to the manifold plate having the ink passage hole. After the nozzle plate is bonded to the manifold plate, the nozzle is formed on the nozzle plate. Then, a water-repellent film is formed on an ink-discharging surface of the nozzle plate. Further, a cavity plate or the like is bonded to the manifold plate and an ink jet head is completed.

Abstract: There is provided a inkjet head, which is provided with a nozzle plate that has a plurality of nozzles from which ink is ejected, and a cover plate that has a plurality of openings respectively corresponding to the plurality of nozzles, the cover plate and the nozzle plate being adhered to each other with an adhesive so that the plurality of nozzles of the nozzle plate respectively communicate with the plurality of openings of the cover plate. Further, a gap is formed between opposed surfaces of the cover plate and the nozzle plate. The gap is filled with the adhesive. The gap has a wide gap portion whose thickness is larger than that of the other portion of the gap.

Abstract: A nozzle plate includes a nozzle surface and a nozzle hole. The nozzle surface defines an ink ejection port. The nozzle hole includes a taper hole portion and a curved-surface hole portion. The taper hole portion has an inner surface of a truncated conical shape and has the smallest diameter at one end thereof. The curved-surface hole portion has an inner surface of a curved-surface shape. The inner diameter of the curved-surface hole portion gradually decreases as approaching from the one end of the taper hole portion to the ink ejection port.

Abstract: In order to avoid arty positional misalignment between an ink passage hole formed on a manifold plate and a nozzle formed on a nozzle plate, the nozzle plate on which no nozzle has been formed, is stacked on and bonded to the manifold plate having the ink passage hole. After the nozzle plate is bonded to the manifold plate, the nozzle is formed on the nozzle plate. Then, a water-repellent film is formed on an ink-discharging surface of the nozzle plate. Further, a cavity plate or the like is bonded to the manifold plate and an ink jet head is completed.

Abstract: A nozzle plate includes a nozzle surface and a nozzle hole. The nozzle surface defines an ink ejection port. The nozzle hole includes a taper hole portion and a curved-surface hole portion. The taper hole portion has an inner surface of a truncated conical shape and has the smallest diameter at one end thereof. The curved-surface hole portion has an inner surface of a curved-surface shape. The inner diameter of the curved-surface hole portion gradually decreases as approaching from the one end of the taper hole portion to the ink ejection port.

Abstract: There is provided a inkjet head, which is provided with a nozzle plate that has a plurality of nozzles from which ink is ejected, and a cover plate that has a plurality of openings respectively corresponding to the plurality of nozzles, the cover plate and the nozzle plate being adhered to each other with an adhesive so that the plurality of nozzles of the nozzle plate respectively communicate with the plurality of openings of the cover plate. Further, a gap is formed between opposed surfaces of the cover plate and the nozzle plate. The gap is filled with the adhesive. The gap has a wide gap portion whose thickness is larger than that of the other portion of the gap.

Abstract: A stacked body is formed from alternating piezoelectric ceramic layers 40 and internal electrode layers 42, 44. At least a central portion of a stacked body is divided into a plurality of actuator portions 46a, 46b, and 46c by elongated holes 52 opened in the stacked direction. The portions are supported at their end portions by a piezoelectric non-active portion 48. Desired actuator portions can be driven independently by selectively applying voltage to the electrodes corresponding to the actuator portions 46a, 46b, and 46c.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a layered piezoelectric element 38 constructed from alternately stacked piezoelectric ceramic layers 40 and internal electrode layers 42, 44 and having a plurality of fine actuator portions 46, wherein the layered piezoelectric element 38 deforming the actuator portions 46 in the direction in which they are stacked, slit-shaped holes 52 are formed using ultrasonic wave abrasive particle machining after sintering the stacked body of green sheets 50, 51. The holes 52 are formed as through holes in the layered piezoelectric element 38. The actuator portions 46 are formed so as to be connected by non-through-hole portions 48 at both ends.

Abstract: A method of producing a layered piezoelectric element for producing a pressure fluctuation within a cavity of an ink jet print head to eject ink from within the cavity, the production method comprising the steps of screen printing a slurry of powdered piezoelectric material to form a piezoelectric ceramic layer; screen printing a conductive paste to form an internal electrode layer on the piezoelectric ceramic layer; and repeating in alternation the steps of screen printing the slurry of powdered piezoelectric material and screen printing the conductive paste to obtain a layered body with piezoelectric ceramic layers and internal electrode layers layered in alternation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multilayer piezoelectric element in which the anisotropic conductive layers are formed on two side surfaces, each surface opposing with each other, of the multilayer piezoelectric element that a plurality of the piezoelectric plates and the internal electrodes are alternately stacked and the conductive portions are alternately formed in the anisotropic conductive layer corresponding to the internal electrodes disposed on each side surface, thereby the internal electrodes and the external electrodes are electrically connected with each other on each side surface through the conductive portions.

Abstract: A junction for connecting a steel member to a structural member, such as a beam in a steel framed construction to a column in a reinforced concrete construction, a steel framed concrete construction or a steel framed construction. Junction hardware connect to the steel member and a rod-like orthogonal metal connector is provided in concrete structural members. The elements are connected by tightening bolts or by screw joints through a coupler. Since the metal connector is in a form of rod, the concrete member has a high packing property. Field welding work is omitted by connecting the metal connector to the junction hardware by a bolt connection method or by a screw joint method to facilitate assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multilayer piezoelectric element in which the conductive layers, each having a first layer including conductive particles and a second insulating layer, are formed on two side surfaces, each surface opposing with each other, of the multilayer piezoelectric element that a plurality of the piezoelectric plates and the internal electrodes are alternately stacked and the conductive portions are alternately formed in the conductive layer based on the conductive particles corresponding to the internal electrodes disposed on each side surface, thereby the internal electrodes and the external electrodes are electrically connected with each other on each side surface through the conductive portions.