(19)
(11) EP 1 077 331 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
25.09.2002 Bulletin 2002/39

(43) Date of publication A2:
21.02.2001 Bulletin 2001/08

(21) Application number: 00307094.3

(22) Date of filing: 18.08.2000
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: F04B 43/04, B41J 2/14
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 19.08.1999 JP 23327799
26.07.2000 JP 2000225953

(71) Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
Nagoya-City, Aichi Prefecture 467-8530 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • Hirota, Toshikazu
    Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 467-8530 (JP)
  • Ohnishi, Takao
    Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 467-8530 (JP)
  • Noritake, Motoo
    Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 467-8530 (JP)

(74) Representative: Paget, Hugh Charles Edward et al
MEWBURN ELLIS York House 23 Kingsway
London WC2B 6HP
London WC2B 6HP (GB)

   


(54) Liquid drop spraying apparatus


(57) In a liquid drop spraying or ejecting device, an introducing hole 12 is provided in orthogonal direction relative to the lower face of a pressure chamber lOn, and is vertically connected to the upper face of a flow path 20. Immediately underneath the introducing hole 12, a shock wave absorption face 21 with a depth D that is twice the diameter L of the introducing hole 12 is formed as a protrusion of the lower face of the flow path 20. In addition, the shock absorption face 21 is wider than the diameter of the circle of the introducing hole 12, and a stepped portion 22 is formed at its periphery. In this manner, in a device having a plurality of the pressure chambers and the liquid is pressurised by a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element for the purpose of spraying, back flow generated at the flow path from the introducing hole is reduced.






Search report