Liquid Ejection Head Protection Tape Air Bubble Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
In liquid ejection heads, such as ink jet recording apparatuses, protection tapes often fail to maintain close contact with the ejection orifice forming surface, leading to air bubble formation, which can result in ink leakage and blockage of ejection orifices, degrading performance.
Innovation Solution
A protection tape with a base material and adhesive layer is bonded to the ejection orifice forming surface in a peelable manner, featuring penetration portions, such as slits, that penetrate the base material at positions distant from the ejection orifices, facilitating air bubble discharge and preventing air bubble formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the protection tape is bonded to cover the nozzle plate and beads, then the protection tape provides comprehensive coverage, but air bubbles are easily generated between the protection tape and the nozzle plate
Solution Approach 1:
The protection tape is segmented by forming slits that divide the tape into multiple sections. These slits allow the tape to conform to the curved surface of the nozzle plate and beads while preventing air bubble formation by creating escape paths for trapped air during the bonding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The slits act as intermediary channels that facilitate the removal of air bubbles from the bonding interface between the protection tape and the nozzle plate surface, ensuring reliable bonding while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
2Reliability
If slits are formed in the protection tape to prevent air bubbles, then air bubble generation is reduced, but the protection tape structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The protection tape is divided into sections by slits, which are simple linear cuts that create segmentation without requiring complex structures. This segmentation effectively prevents air bubble formation while maintaining tape simplicity.
3Area of stationary object
If the protection tape is bonded in a curved shape to cover the nozzle plate and beads, then comprehensive protection is achieved, but close contact with the nozzle plate is difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The slits segment the protection tape into flexible sections that can independently conform to the curved surface of the nozzle plate and beads. This segmentation allows the tape to maintain close contact with the irregular surface while achieving comprehensive coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The slits provide dynamic flexibility to the protection tape, allowing it to adapt its shape during the bonding process to match the curved contours of the nozzle plate and beads, ensuring uniform contact across the entire coverage area.
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 effectively suppresses air bubble generation between the protection tape and the ejection orifice forming surface, reducing ink leakage and blockage, thereby enhancing the reliability and yield of the liquid ejection process.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive layer laminated on the base material, and the adhesive layer is brought into contact with the ejection orifice forming surface
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejection head includes an ejection orifice forming surface and a protection tape. The ejection orifice forming surface includes a plurality of ejection orifices from which liquid is to be ejected. The protection tape is bonded to the ejection orifice forming surface in a peelable manner. The protection tape includes a base material and an adhesive layer laminated on the base material, and the adhesive layer is brought into contact with the ejection orifice forming surface. The protection tape further includes at least one penetration portion that penetrates at least the base material in a thickness direction of the protection tape at a position being substantially flat and distant from the plurality of ejection orifices in the ejection orifice forming surface.