Liquid Ejection Head Asymmetric Channel Walls Suppress Print Quality Degradation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed printing with densely arranged print elements in liquid ejection heads often results in cross-talk, leading to changes in ejection direction and volume of liquid droplets, causing print quality issues like white or black stripes due to asymmetric deformation of channel walls from liquid contact, which existing technologies attempt to mitigate with complex microfabrication techniques.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejection head design featuring alternating short and long channel walls between energy-generating elements, arranged in parallel with a predetermined shift, which suppresses cross-talk and maintains print quality without requiring high microfabrication technology, by ensuring that ejection ports are asymmetrically deformed in a way that their directions compensate each other.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If print elements are completely separated with channel-forming members, then cross talk is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases due to high degree of microfabrication required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial separation by providing short channel walls only between adjacent print elements in alternating patterns, rather than completely separating all print elements. This partial action reduces cross talk sufficiently while avoiding the high microfabrication complexity required for complete separation, achieving a balance between performance and manufacturability
2Adaptability or versatility
If channel-forming members are swelled due to liquid contact, then material flexibility is demonstrated, but asymmetric deformation occurs causing ejection direction changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent intentionally introduces asymmetric short channel walls that create controlled asymmetric deformations when the channel-forming member swells due to liquid contact. These asymmetric structures are strategically positioned to compensate for swelling-induced deformations, ensuring that ejection ports maintain their intended ejection directions despite material flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary anti-action by pre-configuring short channel walls in alternating patterns before liquid contact occurs. These pre-positioned asymmetric structures counteract the swelling deformation that will occur when the channel-forming member contacts liquid, preventing ejection direction changes before they can happen
3Device complexity
If alternating asymmetric and symmetric ejection ports are disposed, then structural variety is achieved, but white stripe or black stripe is generated degrading print quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing short channel walls only at specific locations between alternating print elements, rather than uniformly across all elements. This localized approach creates the necessary structural variety to accommodate material swelling while maintaining consistent ejection performance across all ports, preventing stripe defects
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 design effectively prevents the degradation of print quality due to white or black stripes by ensuring that ejection directions of liquid droplets from asymmetrically deformed ports coexist and arrayed, maintaining print quality without the need for advanced microfabrication techniques.
Implementation Method 1
Members forming an ejection port and channel in a liquid ejection head may be swelled due to contact with a liquid for long time and may be deformed
Data Source
AI summary
A print element substrate and a liquid ejection head capable of suppressing degradation of a print quality caused by a white stripe/black stripe etc., is actualized without using a high degree of microfabrication technology. As a result of asymmetric deformation by swelling in a direction of relative movement to a print medium, print elements having different liquid droplet ejection directions are made to coexist and arrayed for that purpose.