Liquid Ejecting Head Coupling Substrate to Prevent Supply Port Blockage
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Solution Overview
Problem
The issue of adhesive entering the flow path and blocking the supply port in liquid ejecting heads, leading to ejection failures, is prevalent due to the small opening area of the supply port, as seen in existing configurations like that described in JP-A-2008-149617.
Innovation Solution
The liquid ejecting head incorporates a coupling substrate made of a photosensitive resist film, with a supply port cross-sectional area smaller than the supply communication flow path, allowing for adhesive-free bonding between the pressure chamber and communication substrates, thereby preventing blockages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If adhesive is used to bond the pressure chamber substrate and communication substrate, then the bonding strength is improved, but the adhesive may enter the flow path and block the supply port
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the adhesive bonding step entirely by forming the supply port and discharge port as through-holes in the coupling substrate. This extraction of the adhesive element eliminates the source of flow path blockage while maintaining structural integrity through mechanical alignment and direct contact bonding of the substrates.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling substrate acts as an intermediary component between the pressure chamber substrate and communication substrate. It provides a structured interface with precisely formed through-holes that serve as fluid passages, mediating the connection between substrates without requiring adhesive that could contaminate the flow path.
2Measurement precision
If the supply port opening area is made small to improve ejection precision, then the ejection accuracy is improved, but the supply port becomes more susceptible to blockage by adhesive
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the fluid passage into multiple components: the supply port through-hole in the coupling substrate, the communication flow path in the communication substrate, and the pressure chamber. This segmentation allows the supply port to be formed with precise dimensions for accurate ejection while the larger upstream flow paths prevent adhesive accumulation and blockage.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling substrate with its precisely controlled through-holes serves as an intermediary that decouples the conflicting requirements. The through-holes can be formed with small, precise openings for accurate ejection control while being part of a larger flow path system that prevents blockage through adequate flow capacity upstream.
3Strength
If multiple substrates are laminated and bonded together, then the structural integrity is improved, but the complexity of assembly and the risk of adhesive contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functions of bonding and fluid passage formation into a single integrated coupling substrate. The through-holes are formed directly in the coupling substrate during its fabrication process, combining what would otherwise be separate bonding and flow path creation steps into one unified component and process.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the adhesive bonding function from the multi-substrate assembly process. By using a coupling substrate with pre-formed through-holes, the need for adhesive application is eliminated, simplifying the assembly process and removing the contamination risk associated with adhesive handling in multi-substrate lamination.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively prevents ejection failures by eliminating adhesive-induced blockages, ensuring consistent and efficient ink ejection through the use of a photosensitive resist film for the coupling substrate.
Implementation Method 1
the coupling substrate is made of a photosensitive resist film
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting head includes a pressure chamber substrate having a pressure chamber, a drive element, a communication substrate having a supply communication flow path communicating with the pressure chamber and a nozzle communication flow path communicating with the pressure chamber and communicating with a nozzle for ejecting a liquid at a position different from the supply communication flow path, and a coupling substrate disposed between the pressure chamber substrate and the communication substrate, the coupling substrate having a supply port located between the pressure chamber and the supply communication flow path and a discharge port located between the pressure chamber and the nozzle communication flow path, in which a flow path cross-sectional area of the supply port is smaller than a flow path cross-sectional area of the supply communication flow path, and the coupling substrate is made of a photosensitive resist film.