Liquid Ejection Head Flow Path Beams for Bubble Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
The reduction in size of liquid ejection apparatuses leads to reduced flow path sectional areas, causing air bubbles to accumulate and impairing liquid supply efficiency, and insufficient bonding between support and supply members, which can result in color mixture during multi-color printing.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejection head design featuring a support member with beams extending between supply ports on the recording element board surface and intersecting beams on the supply member surface, optimizing flow path dimensions to prevent air bubble accumulation and ensure adequate bonding regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the flow path is narrowed due to downsizing of the liquid ejection apparatus and head, then the device size is reduced, but air bubbles accumulate in the flow path and liquid supply efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is divided into multiple beams (first beam, second beam, third beam) that are arranged at specific intervals within the flow path. These beams segment the flow path into multiple sub-channels, preventing air bubbles from accumulating in a single large space while maintaining a compact overall device size.
Solution Approach 2:
The beams are positioned at specific locations within the flow path where air bubbles are most likely to accumulate. By locally adding structural elements (beams) at these critical positions, the patent prevents air bubble accumulation without requiring a complete redesign of the entire flow path, thus maintaining compact dimensions while improving liquid supply efficiency.
2Volume of moving object
If the interval between flow paths is reduced to cope with downsizing, then the device size is reduced, but the bonding region between the support member and supply member becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the bonding solution into the depth dimension by having beams protrude from the first surface of the support member into the flow path. This three-dimensional beam structure increases the bonding surface area between the support member and supply member without increasing the planar footprint, thus maintaining compact device size while ensuring sufficient bonding region.
3Strength
If beams are provided in the support member to maintain structure, then structural integrity is improved, but the sectional area of the flow path is reduced and air bubbles accumulate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing continuous beams across the entire flow path, the patent uses discrete beams positioned at specific intervals and locations where they are most effective for preventing air bubble accumulation. This partial beam configuration maintains sufficient structural integrity while minimizing the obstruction to liquid flow and reducing air bubble accumulation points.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejection head includes a recording element board, a support member that supports the recording element board, and includes a first surface having a plurality of first openings that communicate with a first supply port and a second supply port, a second surface contacting a supply member and having a second opening that communicates with a supply path, and a flow path through which the plurality of first openings and the second opening communicate with each other. The support member includes a beam that is provided between the plurality of first openings and extends from the first surface to middle of the flow path, and in an arrangement direction of the plurality of first openings, a length of the second opening is shorter than a sum of lengths of the plurality of first openings and a length of the beam on the first surface.