Liquid Ejecting Head Seal Support for Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet recording heads face issues with ink leakage and deviation of droplet landing positions due to the repulsive force caused by elastic deformation of seal members, which also lead to detachment and deflection of the head body, compromising the sealing effectiveness and accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting head design that incorporates a support member to fix the seal member at a position different from the nozzle, applying pressure in the diameter direction of the flow path to suppress repulsive forces and ensure proper sealing, thereby preventing detachment and deflection, and enhancing the sealing pressure to prevent ink leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seal member is pinched between the first flow path member and the second flow path member to seal the coupling portion, then the sealing property is improved, but the repulsive force causes detachment and deflection of the head body
Solution Approach 1:
A support member is introduced as an intermediary component between the seal member and the first flow path member. The support member has a support portion that contacts the seal member and a fixed portion that is fixed to the first flow path member at a position away from the nozzle. This intermediary structure transfers the clamping force to a location that does not cause detachment or deflection of the head body, while still maintaining effective sealing at the coupling portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing structure is segmented into distinct functional components: the seal member for sealing, the support member for structural support and force distribution, and the fixed portion for anchoring. This segmentation allows the sealing function to be separated from the structural support function, enabling the seal to be effective without causing head body detachment.
2Reliability
If the elastic force of the seal member is increased to improve sealing, then the sealing property is improved, but the repulsive force increases causing more severe detachment and deflection
Solution Approach 1:
The support member acts as a mediator that decouples the relationship between seal member elasticity and head body stability. By providing a dedicated support structure fixed at a remote location, the system can utilize high elastic force in the seal member for effective sealing without transmitting that force directly to the head body in a way that causes detachment or deflection.
3Reliability
If the support member is fixed at the nozzle position to support the seal member, then the sealing is improved, but the nozzle position accuracy deteriorates due to pressure application
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is designed with differentiated functional zones: the support portion that contacts the seal member provides local sealing support, while the fixed portion is positioned at a location (away from the nozzle) that does not interfere with nozzle position accuracy. This local differentiation of support locations allows sealing to be maintained without compromising manufacturing precision of the nozzle.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing location is moved to another dimension or position in the spatial arrangement - specifically, a position away from the nozzle when viewed from above. This dimensional repositioning of the fixed portion allows the support member to fulfill its sealing support function without interfering with the critical nozzle positioning and ejection function.
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
The solution effectively suppresses repulsive forces and maintains accurate droplet landing positions, preventing ink leakage and destructive damage to the apparatus by dispersing pressure and improving the stiffness of the support member.
Implementation Method 1
pressure is applied due to repulsive force as a result of elastic deformation of the seal member
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting head includes: a first-member that has a first liquid-flow-path and discharges liquid in the first liquid-flow-path from a nozzle; a second-member that has a second liquid-flow-path communicating with the first liquid-flow-path; a seal-member that seals a coupling portion between the first liquid-flow-path of the first-member and the second liquid-flow-path of the second-member; and a support-member that is fixed to the first-member at a fixing area side which is located in a position different from a position where the nozzle is located when a plane in which the nozzle is formed is seen from above. The support-member is supported at the fixing area and projects toward the coupling portion, and supports, at a coupling portion side, the seal member at a first-member-side of the seal-member. The seal-member seals the coupling portion by applying pressure in a diameter direction of the first liquid-flow-path.