Liquid Ejection Head Side Wall Fragmentation for Deformation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In liquid ejection heads, swelling of side walls due to contact with liquid and heat causes deformation of ejection openings, leading to variations in ejection volume and misplacement of droplets, resulting in degraded image quality.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating fragmenting portions or section reducing portions in the side walls of liquid chambers to absorb and constrain deformation, ensuring uniform deformation mode across all ejection openings and reducing the effect of swelling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If continuous side walls are used to maintain structural integrity, then the side walls provide strong support, but swelling causes deformation of ejection openings leading to misplacement of droplets
Solution Approach 1:
The side walls are divided into multiple segments by introducing fragmenting portions, which allow the side walls to expand locally without causing deformation of the ejection openings. The ejection opening forming member is segmented into a first portion (with fragmenting portions) and a second portion (without fragmenting portions), enabling differential deformation behavior that maintains ejection opening geometry while accommodating overall swelling.
2Manufacturing precision
If fragmenting portions are provided in all side walls to absorb swelling, then deformation is reduced, but ejection openings may become inclined due to differential deformation modes
Solution Approach 1:
Fragmenting portions are selectively provided only in the first portion of the ejection opening forming member, while the second portion maintains continuous side walls. This local differentiation allows the first portion to absorb swelling through segmental deformation, while the second portion maintains structural rigidity to prevent ejection opening inclination, achieving both deformation suppression and shape maintenance.
3Shape
If side walls are made continuous to maintain uniform deformation mode, then ejection opening alignment is maintained, but swelling causes ejection opening deformation and droplet misplacement
Solution Approach 1:
The side walls are segmented into multiple portions along the liquid ejection direction, with fragmenting portions located in the first portion and continuous structures in the second portion. This segmentation allows different regions to deform differently - the first portion absorbs swelling through fragmenting while the second portion maintains alignment - thereby resolving the contradiction between uniform alignment and deformation suppression.
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 solution effectively suppresses variation in ejection opening deformation, maintaining perpendicular alignment of ejection axes and improving image quality by ensuring consistent ink droplet placement.
Implementation Method 1
a member (hereinafter, referred to as an ejection opening forming member), which forms ejection openings of a liquid ejection head, becomes swelled by being in contact with a liquid for a long period of time and by heat
Implementation Method 2
Swelling of the ejection opening forming member causes the ejection openings to become deformed
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejection head includes a plurality of liquid chambers each including an energy generating element that generates energy for ejecting a liquid, an ejection opening that ejects the liquid, and a liquid supply opening that supplies the liquid, the liquid flowing in a first direction in the plurality of liquid chambers, and the plurality of liquid chambers being arranged in a second direction that intersects the first direction, and a plurality of first side walls that extend in the first direction and that form walls on both sides of the plurality of liquid chambers. In the liquid ejection head, each of the plurality of first side walls includes a fragmenting portion that fragments each of the plurality of first side walls in the first direction.