Liquid Ejection Head Beam Gaps for Temperature Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
In liquid ejection heads with multiple supply flow paths, temperature variance across the recording element substrates leads to uneven ink ejection rates and image density, deteriorating the quality of large format prints, especially when continuous printing is required.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a supporting member with three supply flow paths and beams arranged to contact the recording element substrates, with varying gaps between beams to optimize thermal energy transmission and distribution, reducing temperature variance and maintaining stable ink ejection rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If continuous printing is performed at high speed using electrothermal transducer elements, then productivity is improved, but temperature of the recording element substrate rises causing temperature variance
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting member is divided into multiple beams (first beam, second beam, third beam) that are spatially separated to contact different regions of the recording element substrate. This segmentation allows heat to be dissipated from multiple discrete locations simultaneously, effectively reducing temperature variance across the substrate during continuous high-speed printing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The beams are positioned to contact specific high-temperature regions of the recording element substrate (front surface, rear surface, and side surface). Each beam provides localized heat dissipation where most needed, creating non-uniform heat dissipation characteristics that match the non-uniform temperature distribution in the substrate.
2Temperature
If temperature variance in recording element substrate is reduced by suspending recording operation, then temperature uniformity is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The beams provide passive, continuous heat dissipation from the recording element substrate during printing operations without requiring system suspension or external cooling intervention. The structure automatically conducts heat away from high-temperature regions through thermal conduction to the supporting member, maintaining temperature uniformity while allowing continuous printing.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple beams are arranged in supply flow paths with equal gaps, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but temperature distribution uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gaps between beams are intentionally made asymmetric: the first gap (between first and second beams) is set to 0.5-2.0mm while the second gap (between second and third beams) is set to 2.0-4.0mm. This asymmetric arrangement creates different thermal conduction paths and heat dissipation rates from different regions of the substrate, compensating for non-uniform heat generation and achieving more uniform overall temperature distribution.
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 achieves a more uniform temperature distribution across the recording element substrates, stabilizing ink ejection rates and improving image quality by minimizing temperature differences, allowing for continuous large format printing without tint variations.
Implementation Method 1
liquid ejection heads utilizing electrothermal transducer elements that can accommodate high speed printing are adopted in recording apparatus for large format printing
Implementation Method 2
The thermal energy accumulated in the recording element substrate is then transmitted to the outside of the liquid ejection head by way of the supporting member
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejection head is constructed by providing a recording element substrate on a supporting member. The recording element substrate has at least one thermal energy generating element and a liquid supply port for supplying liquid to the element. The supporting member has three or more supply flow paths running therethrough. Two or more beams are formed in each of the supply flow paths. The gap between the beams formed in each of the end supply flow paths is greater than the gap between the beams formed in an inside supply from path.