Liquid Ejection Head Sealant Flow via Segmented Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejection heads face challenges in efficiently sealing larger leads due to increased size, which prolongs the protection process and makes complete filling difficult, especially as the size of the housing and flow channels increase, affecting the reliability of the sealant application.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a housing with a specific connection portion that has a smaller distance between the housing and element substrate in the direction parallel to the first surface, allowing for a wider inlet port and a shorter transmission path, facilitating the flow and spread of a low-viscosity sealant to efficiently seal the lead and electric connection portion, even with increased element substrate lengths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the size of the housing and lead are increased to improve printing speed and accuracy, then the printing performance is improved, but the time required to flow the sealant into the lead is increased and complete filling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The connection portion is divided into a wide inlet port and a separate transmission path. The inlet port receives the sealant from the element substrate, while the transmission path conducts the sealant to the lead. This segmentation allows the sealant to be efficiently distributed throughout the enlarged lead structure without excessive flow time.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection portion is configured with a width in the liquid ejection direction that is greater than the width in the depth direction. This dimensional change creates a wider inlet port that facilitates faster sealant reception and distribution, compensating for the increased lead size and maintaining efficient sealing processes.
2Measurement precision
If the size of the housing and lead are increased to improve printing performance, then the printing accuracy is improved, but it becomes difficult to apply the sealant from the element substrate to completely fill the lead
Solution Approach 1:
The connection portion is segmented into an inlet port and a transmission path. The inlet port provides a wide opening for sealant application from the element substrate, while the transmission path ensures complete distribution of the sealant throughout the lead. This segmentation enables complete filling of enlarged leads without compromising manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection portion acts as an intermediary structure between the element substrate and the lead. It receives the sealant from the element substrate and conducts it through the transmission path to ensure complete filling of the lead, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision despite increased lead size.
3Reliability
If an increased amount of sealant is applied to protect the increased size of the lead, then the protection effectiveness is improved, but the inner volume of the housing portion to which the sealant is applied is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The connection portion is designed with a width in the liquid ejection direction that is greater than its width in the depth direction. This dimensional configuration creates a compact structure that accommodates the necessary sealant volume while minimizing the overall inner volume of the housing portion, thus maintaining protection effectiveness without excessive volume increase.
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 enables quick and reliable sealing of the lead and electric connection portion, maintaining protection effectiveness while accommodating larger sizes without significant changes to the housing or manufacturing processes, thus enhancing the performance and cost-effectiveness of the liquid ejection head.
Implementation Method 1
a flow channel to flow the sealant into the lead is increased in length
Implementation Method 2
thermally curing the sealant
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejection head includes: a housing; an element substrate disposed on a first surface of the housing and including an energy generation element to eject a liquid; a relay wiring member disposed on a second surface at a position protruding in a liquid ejection direction more than the first surface and surrounding the element substrate; a lead connecting the element substrate with the relay wiring member; a filling portion provided between the housing and a side surface of the element substrate; a connection portion surrounded between the housing and the element substrate, connected with the filling portion, and adjacent to the lead; and a sealant sealing the filling portion, the connection portion, and the lead, in which a distance between the housing and the element substrate is smaller in a portion adjacent to the second surface than in a portion between the first surface and the second surface.