Liquid Ejection Head Damper Structure for Pressure Wave Damping

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing liquid ejection heads face challenges in achieving both high damping performance and durability due to the trade-off between flexibility and durability of the partition used to suppress pressure fluctuations, leading to issues like crosstalk and premature wear.

Innovation Solution

A liquid ejection head design featuring a flexible member with varying breaking strengths across its peripheral and central portions, where the peripheral portion has a higher breaking strength than the central portion, allowing for enhanced durability and damping performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If priority is given to flexibility of the partition, then damping performance is improved, but the fixing portion easily peels off reducing durability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedamping performanceVSAvoiddurability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The partition is designed with non-uniform thickness, having a thinner central portion for flexibility and a thicker peripheral portion for durability. This local quality variation allows the partition to achieve both damping performance and resistance to peeling at the fixing portions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The partition is formed using a composite structure combining a flexible material (such as rubber or silicone) with a reinforcement layer (such as fabric or mesh). This composite construction provides both the flexibility needed for damping and the strength needed to prevent peeling at the fixing portions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Duration of action of stationary object

If priority is given to fastness of the fixing portion, then durability is improved, but damping performance is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedurabilityVSAvoiddamping performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The partition is designed with non-uniform thickness, having a thinner central portion for flexibility and a thicker peripheral portion for durability. This local quality variation allows the partition to achieve both damping performance and resistance to peeling at the fixing portions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The partition is formed using a composite structure combining a flexible material (such as rubber or silicone) with a reinforcement layer (such as fabric or mesh). This composite construction provides both the flexibility needed for damping and the strength needed to prevent peeling at the fixing portions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If a uniform thickness partition is used, then manufacturing is simplified, but both high damping performance and high durability cannot be achieved simultaneously

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidoverall performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The partition is designed with non-uniform thickness, having a thinner central portion for flexibility and a thicker peripheral portion for durability. This local quality variation allows the partition to achieve both damping performance and resistance to peeling at the fixing portions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The partition is divided into functionally distinct regions: a central flexible region for damping and a peripheral reinforcement region for durability. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function while being manufactured as an integrated component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 design extends the lifespan of the liquid ejection head by preventing premature wear and maintaining effective pressure wave attenuation, ensuring stable ejection performance over time.

Implementation Method 1

pressure fluctuation occurring in the plurality of pressure chambers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure fluctuation:

Implementation Method 2

suppress pressure fluctuations of the ink inside the flow path

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Implementation Method 3

a flexible member configured to form a part of a wall surface of the common flow path and configured to be deformable in accordance with pressure fluctuation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS20260061747A1Liquid ejection head and method for manufacturing damper unit for liquid ejection head

Publication Date: 2026.03.05 CANON KK

AI summary

A liquid ejection head includes: a plurality of ejection ports; a plurality of pressure chambers configured to communicate with the plurality of ejection ports, respectively; a plurality of pressure generating units installed in the plurality of pressure chambers, respectively, and configured to generate pressure for ejecting the liquid from the ejection ports; a common flow path configured to commonly communicate with the plurality of pressure chambers; a flexible member configured to form a part of a wall surface of the common flow path and configured to be deformable in accordance with pressure fluctuation occurring in the plurality of pressure chambers; and a hollow chamber arranged at a position facing the common flow path via the flexible member, wherein, of the flexible member, a breaking strength at a peripheral portion in the hollow chamber is higher than a breaking strength at a central portion in the hollow chamber.