The present invention relates to an electrical component for a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, in particular, but not limited to, an electromechanical actuator. In one aspect, the present invention provides an electrical component for a microelectromechanical systems device comprising: i) a substrate layer; ii) a plurality of adjacent electrical elements arranged over the substrate layer, where each electrical element is separated from a neighbouring electrical element by an intermediate region, each of the plurality of electrical elements comprising: a) a ceramic member; and b) first and second electrodes disposed adjacent the ceramic member such that a potential difference may be established between the first and second electrodes and through the ceramic member during operation; iii) a passivation layer, or a laminate of multiple passivation layers, at least partially overlying each of the plurality of electrical elements so as to provide electrical passivation between the first and second electrodes of each of the plurality of electrical elements; wherein the passivation layer, or at least an innermost layer of the laminate of passivation layers which is disposed adjacent each underlying electrical element, is discontinuous over at least one intermediate region between neighbouring electrical elements of the electrical component.

According to one aspect, the disclosure provides an image recording apparatus including a liquid supplying device. The liquid supplying device includes a tank, a cartridge, an atmospheric communication portion, and a recording portion. The tank has a second storage chamber configured to store liquid, a liquid passage in communication with the second storage chamber, and a gas passage in communication with the second storage chamber. The atmospheric communication portion includes a buffer tank defining a buffer chamber configured to store gas, a single communication flow passage allowing the buffer chamber to communicate with the second storage chamber, and an air communication passage allowing the buffer chamber to communicate with an atmosphere. When the cartridge is attached to the tank, the buffer chamber is positioned below the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber is positioned below the buffer chamber.

A liquid ejection device includes: an ejecting unit configured to eject a liquid from a nozzle in a first direction; and a light source unit configured to emit light in a first optical path and a second optical path which are arranged such that the first optical path and the second optical path intersect on an extension line in the first direction from the nozzle. With the liquid ejection device having such a configuration, it becomes easy to eject the liquid at a position having a preferable interval with respect to an object.

A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head including a supply path and a discharge path circulating a liquid in a liquid circulation direction, the head configured to discharge the liquid, a circulation path coupled to the head, the liquid circulates through the head in the circulation path, a bypass coupled to a downstream end of the supply path of the head and an upstream end of the discharge path of the head in the liquid circulation direction, a pressure generator configured to generate and apply a circulation pressure to the liquid circulating through the circulation path, and a deaerator configured to remove gas in the liquid circulating the circulation path.

An object is to improve the structural reliability of a liquid ejection head. To achieve this, a liquid ejection head includes a first substrate having ejection ports, liquid chambers, and energy generation elements, and a second substrate joined to a second surface of the first substrate situated opposite to its first surface. The first substrate includes projecting areas projecting from end portions of the second substrate in a planar direction perpendicular to a first-axis direction (z-axis direction). Terminals to be electrically connected to the energy generation elements are provided at the second surfaces of the projecting areas. A support member 401 is joined to the first surface of the first substrate, has an opening at a position opposed to where the ejection ports are formed, and is fixed to the frame.

A liquid ejection recording element unit includes: a first substrate provided with a first partition wall that demarcates a first flow channel including an ejection port of a liquid, and an energy generating portion that generates energy for ejecting the liquid from the first flow channel; and a second substrate provided with a second partition wall that demarcates a second flow channel including a supply port of the liquid, the second substrate being stacked on the first substrate, so that the second flow channel communicates with the first flow channel. The first partition wall and the second partition wall are contiguous across a predetermined gap, in the stacking direction of the first substrate and the second substrate. A hydraulic diameter of the gap is smaller than a hydraulic diameter of a smallest flow channel portion having a minimum flow channel cross-sectional area in the first flow channel.

A droplet ejection head includes a nozzle plate having a nozzle, a pressure chamber forming substrate having a pressure chamber, a vibration plate, and a piezoelectric element containing potassium, sodium, and niobium and formed on the vibration plate. The piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric layer located between the first electrode and the second electrode. A total thickness of the piezoelectric layer, the first electrode, and the second electrode is larger than a thickness of the vibration plate. An absolute value of a displacement amount of the vibration plate when a voltage having an absolute value of 25 V is applied to the piezoelectric element as a voltage for displacing the vibration plate in a direction in which a volume of the pressure chamber expands is twice or more an absolute value of a displacement amount of the vibration plate when a voltage having an absolute value of 25 V is applied to the piezoelectric element as a voltage for displacing the vibration plate in a direction in which a volume of the pressure chamber contracts.

A coating head includes: a plurality of nozzles; a plurality of pressure chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles; an ink flow path communicating with the plurality of pressure chambers; and a coating layer that is at least partially provided on liquid contact surfaces of the plurality of nozzles, the plurality of pressure chambers, and the ink flow path.

A liquid discharging head includes a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles from which liquid is discharged; a plurality of individual liquid chambers that are communicably connected to the plurality of nozzles, respectively; a common liquid chamber that supplies liquid to the plurality of individual liquid chambers; and a circulation common liquid chamber that leads to a plurality of circulation channels. A part of the common liquid chamber overlaps the circulation common liquid chamber from a direction in which liquid is discharged from the nozzles, and another part of the common liquid chamber overlaps the circulation common liquid chamber from a direction orthogonal to both the direction in which liquid is discharged from the nozzles and a direction in which the nozzles are aligned.

A liquid discharge apparatus is configure to drive nozzles with drive waveforms with which timing of discharge pulses fall within a range where a condition |A−C|<|B−D| is satisfied, where “A” is a discharge velocity of a droplet having a first size when drive units are driven to discharge a droplet having the first size, “B” is a discharge velocity of a droplet having a second size larger than the first size when drive units are driven to discharge a droplet having the second size, “C” is a discharge velocity of a droplet having the first size when drive units are driven to discharge droplets having the first size and the second size, and “D” is a discharge velocity of a droplet having the second size when drive units are driven to discharge droplets having the second size and the first size.