A crosstalk immune printhead and ejection device

Abstract

The application discloses a crosstalk prevention printing head and a jetting device. The crosstalk prevention printing head comprises a substrate layer, a flow channel layer, a nozzle layer, and ink ejection units. Each ink ejection unit comprises a heating part, a first ink inlet cavity, a communication part, an ignition part, and a nozzle. The heating part and the first ink inlet cavity are arranged on the substrate layer, the communication part and the ignition part are arranged on the flow channel layer, and the nozzle is arranged on the nozzle layer. One end of the first ink inlet cavity is communicated with an ink cartridge, the communication part is used for communicating the first ink inlet cavity with the ignition part, in the stacking direction of the substrate layer and the flow channel layer, the heating part is arranged in the projection range of the ignition part on the substrate layer, and the nozzle is communicated with the ignition part. The crosstalk prevention printing head of the application is provided with a plurality of ink ejection units, the nozzle of each ink ejection unit corresponds to an independent first ink inlet cavity, ink is partially jetted by the nozzle under the action of the heating part, and the other part can only flow to the corresponding first ink inlet cavity, physical isolation is formed between the plurality of nozzles, and the problem of fluid crosstalk is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of jetting device technology, and in particular to an anti-crosstalk printhead and jetting device. Background Technology

[0002] In existing printheads, the fluid and heat energy between printheads interact during inkjet printing. This can cause pressure fluctuations or heat transfer in neighboring printheads due to the ejection action of one printhead, thus affecting the ejection stability and accuracy of other printheads. Furthermore, the limited distance between printheads makes fluid paths and heat transfer prone to interference, especially in high-density configurations. These interactions can lead to poorer inkjet control and crosstalk.

[0003] Existing printheads have two main drawbacks in addressing crosstalk between printheads: First, reducing crosstalk by widening the ink inlet groove and staggering the arrangement results in a significant increase in chip area and can easily cause nozzle layer deformation and collapse, failing to completely solve the crosstalk problem; Second, the method of using the flow channel layer to form a blocking structure can effectively reduce crosstalk, but the process is extremely difficult and can also easily cause nozzle layer deformation, affecting the reliability and durability of the structure. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide an anti-crosstalk printhead and an inkjet device to solve the problem of crosstalk between nozzles during the inkjet process of the printhead and improve the inkjet efficiency of the printhead.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides an anti-crosstalk printhead, comprising: A substrate layer, one side of which is connected to the ink cartridge; A flow channel layer, wherein the flow channel layer is connected to the side of the substrate layer opposite to the ink cartridge; A nozzle layer, wherein the nozzle layer is connected to the flow channel layer on the side opposite to the substrate layer; The inkjet unit includes multiple inkjet units, each inkjet unit including a heating part, a first ink inlet chamber, a connecting part, an ignition part and a nozzle, the heating part and the first ink inlet chamber are disposed in the substrate layer, the connecting part and the ignition part are disposed in the flow channel layer, and the nozzle is disposed in the nozzle layer. in: One end of the first ink inlet cavity is connected to the ink cartridge, and the connecting part is used to connect the first ink inlet cavity and the ignition part. In the stacking direction of the substrate layer and the flow channel layer, the heating part is located within the projection range of the ignition part on the substrate layer, and the nozzle is connected to the ignition part.

[0006] In the anti-crosstalk printhead described above, preferably, in the stacking direction of the flow channel layer and the nozzle layer, the ignition part is a first cavity penetrating the flow channel layer, and the first cavity is connected to the corresponding nozzle.

[0007] In the anti-crosstalk printhead described above, preferably, in the stacking direction of the flow channel layer and the substrate layer, the connecting portion is a second cavity penetrating the flow channel layer, one end of the second cavity is connected to the first cavity, and the other end of the second cavity is connected to the first ink inlet cavity.

[0008] In the anti-crosstalk printhead described above, preferably, the anti-crosstalk printhead further includes a support portion for supporting the nozzle layer.

[0009] In the anti-crosstalk printhead described above, preferably, the support portion includes a first support column, a portion of the flow channel layer between adjacent communicating portions forms the first support column, and the nozzle layer is supported on the upper surface of the first support column.

[0010] In the anti-crosstalk printhead described above, preferably, the support portion further includes a second support column, the second support column being a portion of the substrate layer between adjacent first ink inlet cavities, and the lower surface of the first support column being connected to the upper surface of the second support column.

[0011] In the anti-crosstalk printhead described above, preferably, a second ink inlet cavity is further provided on the substrate layer, the first ink inlet cavity extends along the stacking direction of the substrate layer and the flow channel layer, one end of the second ink inlet cavity is connected to the ink cartridge, the other end of the second ink inlet cavity is connected to one end of a plurality of first ink inlet cavities, and the other end of each first ink inlet cavity is connected to the connecting portion.

[0012] In the anti-crosstalk printhead described above, preferably, the heating element includes a heating resistor.

[0013] In the anti-crosstalk printhead described above, preferably, the anti-crosstalk printhead further includes a protective layer disposed on the side of the nozzle layer opposite to the flow channel layer.

[0014] Secondly, this application provides an injection device, including the aforementioned anti-crosstalk printhead.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the anti-crosstalk printhead of this application is equipped with multiple inkjet units. The nozzle of each inkjet unit corresponds to an independent first ink inlet chamber. Under the action of the heating unit, part of the ink is ejected by the nozzle, and the other part can only flow to the corresponding first ink inlet chamber, forming physical isolation between multiple nozzles, thereby solving the problem of fluid crosstalk. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the anti-crosstalk printhead provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the structure of the anti-crosstalk printhead provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Cross-sectional view along the AA direction; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the matrix layer provided in another embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional structure of the resistance heater provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 10-Matrix layer; 20-Flow channel layer; 30-Nozzle layer; 40-Inkjet unit, 41-Heating unit, 411-Heating resistor, 4111-Core layer, 4112-Wire layer, 4113-Dielectric layer, 4114-Anti-cavitation layer, 42-First ink inlet chamber, 43-Connecting part, 431-Second chamber, 44-Ignition part, 441-First chamber, 45-Nozzle, 46-Second ink inlet chamber; 50 - Support section, 51 - First support column, 52 - Second support column; 60 - Protective layer. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0019] Firstly, referring to Figures 1 to 5 As shown, this application provides an anti-crosstalk printhead, including a substrate layer 10, a flow channel layer 20, a nozzle layer 30, and an inkjet unit 40, wherein: One side of the substrate layer 10 is connected to the ink cartridge, which can supply ink to the print head through the substrate layer 10. The flow channel layer 20 is connected to the side of the substrate layer 10 away from the ink cartridge, and the nozzle layer 30 is connected to the side of the flow channel layer 20 away from the substrate layer 10. The substrate layer 10, the flow channel layer 20 and the nozzle layer 30 are stacked in sequence.

[0020] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the inkjet unit 40 includes multiple units. Each inkjet unit 40 includes a heating part 41, a first ink inlet chamber 42, a connecting part 43, an ignition part 44, and a nozzle 45. The heating part 41 and the first ink inlet chamber 42 are disposed on the substrate layer 10, the connecting part 43 and the ignition part 44 are disposed on the flow channel layer 20, and the nozzle 45 is disposed on the nozzle layer 30.

[0021] In the embodiments provided in this application, one end of the first ink inlet cavity 42 is connected to the ink cartridge, and the ink in the ink cartridge can flow to the flow channel layer 20 through the first ink inlet cavity 42. The connecting part 43 is used to connect the first ink inlet cavity 42 and the ignition part 44. The ink in the first ink inlet cavity 42 can enter the ignition part 44 through the connecting part 43. In the stacking direction of the substrate layer 10 and the flow channel layer 20, the heating part 41 is disposed within the projection range of the ignition part 44 on the substrate layer 10, and the nozzle 45 is connected to the ignition part 44.

[0022] The heating unit 41 can heat the ink in the corresponding ignition unit 44, so that the ink reaches a superheated state. The ink at the interface vaporizes to form bubbles. The pressure of the initial explosion of the bubbles is extremely high, which can drive the ink in the corresponding ignition unit 44 to be ejected along the normal direction of the corresponding nozzle 45. During the ejection process, due to the action of capillary force, the connecting part 43 draws ink from the first ink inlet chamber 42 to fill the ignition unit 44, thereby completing one inkjet.

[0023] During the bubble explosion process, not only will ink be driven to flow into the nozzle 45 channel, but also some ink will flow through the connecting part 43 to the first ink inlet chamber 42. The printhead of this application includes multiple inkjet units 40, and the various parts of the multiple nozzle 45 assemblies are evenly distributed in the substrate layer 10, the channel layer 20 and the nozzle layer 30 respectively. Each nozzle 45 of each inkjet unit 40 is independently provided with a corresponding first ink inlet chamber 42, so that during the inkjet process of each nozzle 45, the ink can only flow back into the corresponding first ink inlet chamber 42. The inkjet process of each inkjet unit 40 is carried out independently, thereby forming physical isolation between multiple nozzles 45, which can effectively avoid crosstalk during the inkjet process.

[0024] In one feasible implementation, refer to Figure 3 As shown, in the stacking direction of the flow channel layer 20 and the nozzle layer 30, the ignition part 44 is a first cavity 441 that penetrates the flow channel layer 20, and the first cavity 441 is connected to the corresponding nozzle 45. The heating part 41 is located within the projection range of the first cavity 441 on the substrate layer 10, so that the heating part 41 can only heat the ink within the corresponding first cavity 441 to cause the ink to vaporize and explode, which can prevent the heat from spreading to the adjacent first cavities 441. The vaporized and exploded ink is ejected along the normal direction of the corresponding nozzle 45, so that the ink ejection trajectory is consistent and without deviation, thereby ensuring the printing effect.

[0025] Furthermore, in the stacking direction of the channel layer 20 and the substrate layer 10, the connecting portion 43 is a second cavity 431 that penetrates the channel layer 20. One end of the second cavity 431 is connected to the first cavity 441, and the other end of the second cavity 431 is connected to the first ink inlet cavity 42. Both the second cavity 431 and the first cavity 441 are through chambers provided in the channel layer 20, and the ink in the first ink inlet cavity 42 can flow to the first cavity 441 through the second cavity 431.

[0026] In the prior art, when processing the first ink inlet cavity 42, the first cavity 441 and the second cavity 431, the solid portion of the substrate layer 10 excluding the first ink inlet cavity 42 and the solid portion of the flow channel layer 20 excluding the first cavity 441 and the second cavity 431 are etched. The main material of the nozzle layer 30 is a polymer film. Since the solid portions of the substrate layer 10 and the flow channel layer 20 are etched, the polymer film loses its support and is in a suspended state. The polymer film has the function of absorbing moisture and expanding and aging. After the printhead is used for a period of time, the polymer film of the nozzle layer 30 will collapse and deform, which reduces the height of the flow channel layer 20 and thus affects the capillary ink absorption effect.

[0027] To address the aforementioned problems, the embodiments provided in this application refer to... Figure 3 As shown, the anti-crosstalk printhead also includes a support portion 50, which supports the nozzle layer 30. When the polymer film collapses or deforms due to moisture absorption, expansion, or aging, the support portion 50 can support the polymer film on the nozzle layer 30, thereby preventing the height of the corresponding area of ​​the flow channel layer 20 from decreasing due to deformation and collapse.

[0028] In one feasible implementation, continue to refer to Figure 3 As shown, the portion of the flow channel layer 20 outside the first cavity 441 and the second cavity 431 is solid. The support portion 50 includes a first support column 51, and the portion of the flow channel layer 20 between adjacent second cavities 431 forms the first support column 51. The nozzle layer 30 is supported on the upper surface of the first support column 51. The first support column 51 formed between adjacent second cavities 431 supports the nozzle layer 30. Even if the polymer film collapses and deforms, the first support column 51 can support most of the polymer film, effectively preventing the deformed polymer film from collapsing into the first cavity 441 or the second cavity 431, which would cause the height of the flow channel layer 20 to decrease.

[0029] Furthermore, the substrate layer 10 outside the first ink inlet cavity 42 is also solid. The support portion 50 also includes a second support column 52. The portion of the substrate layer 10 between adjacent first ink inlet cavities 42 forms the second support column 52. The lower surface of the first support column 51 is connected to the upper surface of the second support column 52. The second support column 52 provides support for the first support column 51, further enhancing the support of the first support column 51 for the nozzle layer 30. Through layer-by-layer support, the overall structural strength of the printhead is improved.

[0030] Since each nozzle 45 on the nozzle layer 30 corresponds to a first ink inlet chamber 42, the ink storage capacity of the first ink inlet chamber 42 will be reduced. In order to increase the ink storage capacity of the printhead, in one feasible embodiment, refer to Figure 4 As shown, a second ink inlet cavity 46 is also provided on the substrate layer 10. The first ink inlet cavity 42 extends along the stacking direction of the substrate layer 10 and the flow channel layer 20. One end of the second ink inlet cavity 46 is connected to the ink cartridge, and the other end of the second ink inlet cavity 46 is connected to one end of a plurality of first ink inlet cavities 42. The other end of each first ink inlet cavity 42 is connected to the second cavity 431. The second ink inlet cavity 46 extends in the plane of the substrate layer 10, and the extension direction of the first ink inlet cavity 42 is perpendicular to the extension direction of the second ink inlet cavity 46. The second ink inlet cavity 46 has a large volume, and the ink in the ink cartridge can first enter the second ink inlet cavity 46 and then flow to each of the first ink inlet cavities 42, thereby greatly increasing the ink storage capacity of the printhead and improving the inkjet effect.

[0031] In the embodiments provided in this application, the heating unit 41 includes a heating resistor 411, which, driven by a high voltage, can cause the ink to reach a superheated state. (See also...) Figure 5 As shown, the heating resistor 411 includes a core layer 4111, a conductor layer 4112, a dielectric layer 4113, and an anti-cavitation layer 4114. The core layer 4111 is generally formed by magnetron sputtering of materials such as Ta, TaAl, TaN, and TaSiN. The conductor layer 4112 is attached to the core layer 4111 and is generally formed by common materials such as Al, AlCu, and AlSiCu. The dielectric layer 4113 is used to protect the resistor and is generally composed of SiO2, SiN, SiC, and their composite layers. Finally, since the bubble pressure during inkjet printing reaches tens of atmospheres, prolonged inkjet printing can damage the resistor. Therefore, an anti-cavitation layer 4114 is generally processed on the dielectric layer 4113. The anti-cavitation layer 4114 is generally formed by materials such as Ta.

[0032] Based on the above embodiments, the substrate layer 10 of the anti-crosstalk printhead of this application is a substrate, generally a silicon substrate, on which components such as an ASIC circuit for driving the MEMS inkjet printhead, a first ink inlet cavity 42, and a resistance heater for driving fluid jetting are included. The flow channel layer 20 is generally a polymer film such as SU8 material or polyimide material, and includes an ignition part 44 for ink jetting and a connecting part 43 connecting the first ink inlet cavity 42. The nozzle layer 30 is generally made of SU8 material, polyimide material, or nickel metal, and mainly includes a nozzle 45 structure.

[0033] Reference Figure 1 As shown, the anti-crosstalk printhead also includes a protective layer 60, which is disposed on the side of the nozzle layer 30 opposite to the flow channel layer 20. The protective layer 60 can protect the multiple nozzles 45 of the nozzle layer 30 from damage caused by external scratches, dust blockage, or mechanical impact. During high-speed jetting, the protective layer 60 can act as a rigid backing plate to suppress deformation of the nozzle layer 30 during high-pressure jetting, thereby ensuring the consistency of ink jetting direction of the nozzles 45.

[0034] In one feasible implementation, after the resistance heater 411 is processed, the first ink inlet cavity 42 is formed on the substrate layer 10 by deep trench etching. Generally, for a substrate layer 10 with a thickness of 500μm, the first ink inlet cavity 42 can be processed to a depth of 10-450μm, and then the ignition part 44, the connecting part 43 and the nozzle 45 are formed by dry film lamination and photolithography development process.

[0035] In one feasible implementation, in order to optimize the ink inlet cavity structure for ink storage capacity, a first ink inlet cavity 42 array with a depth of 10-450μm is formed on the substrate layer 10 by deep trench etching. Then, a film is applied to the front side of the substrate layer 10 (towards the surface of the nozzle 45) to protect the front device structure. The back side is photolithographically defined to define the size of the second ink inlet cavity 46 on the back side. Then, through a deep trench etching process, typically etching to a depth of 50-490μm, the small ink inlet cavity and the large ink inlet cavity are connected. Then, the film on the front side is removed, and subsequent flow channel and nozzle processing is performed.

[0036] Secondly, this application provides an inkjet printing device, including the aforementioned anti-crosstalk printhead. The inkjet printing device can be an ink cartridge equipped with a printhead or an inkjet printer equipped with a printhead. Since the anti-crosstalk printhead includes multiple inkjet units 40, and each inkjet unit 40 has a corresponding independent first ink inlet chamber 42 for its nozzle 45, when the inkjet unit 40 sprays ink, part of the ink in the ignition part 44 is ejected through the nozzle 45, and the other part of the ink flows to the corresponding first ink inlet chamber 42 under the action of the bubble explosion. Thus, the ink between the various inkjet units 40 will not crosstalk, thereby avoiding crosstalk during printing and improving the printing effect of the inkjet printing device.

[0037] The above description, based on the embodiments shown in the drawings, details the structure, features, and effects of this application. The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this application, but this application does not limit the scope of implementation to what is shown in the drawings. Any changes made in accordance with the concept of this application, or modifications to equivalent embodiments, that do not exceed the spirit covered by the specification and drawings, should be within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A crosstalk-resistant printhead, characterized in that, include: A substrate layer, one side of which is connected to the ink cartridge; A flow channel layer, wherein the flow channel layer is connected to the side of the substrate layer opposite to the ink cartridge; A nozzle layer, wherein the nozzle layer is connected to the flow channel layer on the side opposite to the substrate layer; The inkjet unit includes multiple inkjet units, each inkjet unit including a heating part, a first ink inlet chamber, a connecting part, an ignition part and a nozzle, the heating part and the first ink inlet chamber are disposed in the substrate layer, the connecting part and the ignition part are disposed in the flow channel layer, and the nozzle is disposed in the nozzle layer. in: One end of the first ink inlet cavity is connected to the ink cartridge, and the connecting part is used to connect the first ink inlet cavity and the ignition part. In the stacking direction of the substrate layer and the flow channel layer, the heating part is located within the projection range of the ignition part on the substrate layer, and the nozzle is connected to the ignition part.

2. The anti-crosstalk printhead according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the stacking direction of the flow channel layer and the nozzle layer, the ignition part is a first cavity that penetrates the flow channel layer, and the first cavity is connected to the corresponding nozzle.

3. The anti-crosstalk printhead according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the stacking direction of the flow channel layer and the substrate layer, the connecting portion is a second cavity that penetrates the flow channel layer, one end of the second cavity is connected to the first cavity, and the other end of the second cavity is connected to the first ink inlet cavity.

4. The anti-crosstalk printhead according to claim 1, characterized in that, The anti-crosstalk printhead also includes a support portion for supporting the nozzle layer.

5. The anti-crosstalk printhead according to claim 4, characterized in that, The support includes a first support column, a portion of the flow channel layer between adjacent connecting portions forms the first support column, and the nozzle layer is supported on the upper surface of the first support column.

6. The anti-crosstalk printhead according to claim 5, characterized in that, The support portion further includes a second support column, and a portion of the substrate layer between adjacent first ink inlet cavities forms the second support column. The lower surface of the first support column is connected to the upper surface of the second support column.

7. The anti-crosstalk printhead according to claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate layer is further provided with a second ink inlet cavity. The first ink inlet cavity extends along the stacking direction of the substrate layer and the flow channel layer. One end of the second ink inlet cavity is connected to the ink cartridge, and the other end of the second ink inlet cavity is connected to one end of a plurality of first ink inlet cavities. The other end of each first ink inlet cavity is connected to the connecting part.

8. The anti-crosstalk printhead according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating element includes a heating resistor.

9. The anti-crosstalk printhead according to claim 1, characterized in that, The anti-crosstalk printhead also includes a protective layer, which is disposed on the side of the nozzle layer opposite to the flow channel layer.

10. A spraying device, characterized in that, Includes the anti-crosstalk printhead as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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