Circuit Substrate Layering for Signal Interference Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid discharging apparatuses, such as ink jet printers, face signal degradation due to interference between drive signals and control signals in the circuit substrate, leading to inaccurate liquid discharge.
Innovation Solution
A circuit substrate design with separate wiring layers for transmission, control, and drive signals, along with strategic placement of input terminals and termination circuits, minimizes signal interference by isolating signal paths and reducing the need for vias, thereby ensuring accurate liquid discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If drive signal and control signal are transmitted through the same circuit substrate, then the apparatus can be miniaturized, but signal degradation occurs due to interference between signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies layering in the vertical dimension to separate drive signals and control signals into different wiring layers of the circuit substrate. This spatial separation in the Z-dimension prevents electromagnetic interference while maintaining miniaturization, as signals no longer share the same planar space despite being integrated in a compact apparatus.
2Area of stationary object
If wiring is densely packed to reduce substrate size, then apparatus miniaturization is achieved, but signal interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
By utilizing multiple wiring layers stacked vertically, the patent accommodates dense signal routing without increasing the planar footprint. The vertical separation between layers eliminates interference even when wiring appears densely packed from a top-down view, resolving the conflict between miniaturization and signal quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit substrate is segmented into multiple functional wiring layers, with drive signal wiring separated from control signal wiring. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized independently for its specific signal type, reducing cross-talk and interference while maintaining compact overall dimensions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple vias are used to connect different wiring layers, then complex routing is achieved, but signal degradation increases due to via connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the receiving unit and its associated first wiring from subsequent wiring layers and places them on the first wiring layer. This extraction eliminates the need for vias to connect these critical signal paths to other layers, removing a major source of signal degradation while preserving routing flexibility through the layered architecture.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a liquid discharging apparatus including a discharging unit that includes a driving element and discharges a liquid by driving of the driving element and a circuit substrate that transmits a first drive signal to drive the driving element and a control signal to control application of the first drive signal to the driving element. The circuit substrate includes a receiving unit that receives a transmission signal based on a plurality of original control signals and restores the plurality of control signals based on the transmission signal, first wiring that transmits the transmission signal, second wiring that transmits the control signals, third wiring that transmits the first drive signal, and a first input terminal that is connected to the first wiring and inputs the transmission signal into the circuit substrate. The receiving unit is connected to the first wiring and the second wiring. The receiving unit, the first wiring, and the first input terminal are provided on a first layer of the circuit substrate. The third wiring is provided on a second layer different from the first layer.