Elastic Gap Blocker for Liquid Ejecting Head Contamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet recording heads face challenges in preventing ink from dropping onto the target medium at unexpected times due to gaps between head bodies and holders, leading to contamination, and adhesive agents used to fill these gaps can erode and become foreign matter, causing further contamination or discharge failures.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting head design featuring a head body with nozzle openings and a wiping surface, lined up with a target wiping member via a gap, where an elastic member is used to block openings on both sides, preventing ink or foreign matter from entering the gap and reducing the risk of contamination by maintaining the elastic member's position without adhering it to the entire surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If gaps between head bodies and holder are left open, then ease of manufacture is improved, but ink drops onto the target medium at unexpected timing causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
An elastic member is introduced as an intermediary substance to fill the gap between the head body and holder. This elastic member prevents ink from entering the gap while maintaining the open-gap structure for ease of manufacture. The elastic member acts as a mediator that blocks the harmful pathway without requiring the gap to be completely eliminated.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member functions as a flexible barrier that conforms to the gap space between the head body and holder. This flexible structure effectively blocks ink penetration while accommodating manufacturing tolerances and assembly variations, preventing contamination without compromising manufacturability.
2Reliability
If adhesive agent is used to fill gaps, then reliability is improved by preventing ink entry, but foreign matter is generated due to erosion and contact with wiper
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member is designed to be replaceable and durable enough for the application lifecycle. Unlike adhesive agents that degrade and generate foreign matter, the elastic member maintains its integrity throughout operation, can be easily replaced if needed, and does not erode to contaminate the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameter from adhesive agent (which erodes and generates foreign matter) to elastic member (which maintains structural integrity). This parameter change preserves the gap-blocking function for reliability while eliminating the foreign matter generation problem.
3Productivity
If multiple head bodies are fixed in common holder, then productivity is improved by modularization, but gaps between head bodies cause ink to drop and contaminate target medium
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member is applied segmentally to each gap between adjacent head bodies in the modular assembly. This segmentation approach allows the high-productivity modular configuration to be maintained while individually addressing the contamination risk at each interface between modules.
Solution Approach 2:
Elastic members are introduced as intermediaries at each interface between modular head bodies. This allows the modular architecture to maintain its productivity advantages while the elastic members prevent ink from entering the gaps between modules, eliminating contamination.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If gaps are adjusted to minimize space, then contamination is reduced, but manufacturing precision becomes more difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the approach from adjusting gap dimensions (which requires high manufacturing precision) to introducing an elastic member that accommodates various gap sizes. This parameter change in the blocking mechanism eliminates the need for tight gap control while preventing contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member provides a dynamic solution to the gap problem. Instead of relying on fixed, precisely-controlled gap dimensions, the elastic member adapts to the actual gap space, providing effective sealing without requiring high manufacturing precision for gap control.
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 design effectively suppresses contamination of the target medium by preventing ink and foreign matter from entering the gap, reduces positional shifting of the head body, and minimizes the generation of foreign matter, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the ink jet recording process.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member which blocks openings on the first wiping surface side and the second wiping surface side is held in the gap in a state of elastic deformation
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting head includes a head body which has a nozzle opening for ejecting a liquid and a first wiping surface to be wiped by a wiper; and a target wiping member which has a second wiping surface to be wiped by the wiper, wherein the head body and the target wiping member are lined up via a gap so as to face in the same direction as the first wiping surface and the second wiping surface, and an elastic member is elastic deformed and held in the gap to block the gap on a side of the first and second wiping surface.