Liquid Discharge Head Filter Overlap Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid discharge heads face challenges in efficiently filtering liquids while maintaining a compact size, as the arrangement of filters and fluid restrictors often leads to increased head size due to the need for larger filter areas and potential disruptions in fluid flow.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a supply-side and discharge-side fluid restrictor configuration where the inlet or outlet of the restrictor overlaps with the filter in a direction perpendicular to the liquid flow, allowing for an enlarged filter area without increasing the head's size, and optimizing the flow through the introduction of inclined surfaces and joint materials to reduce turbulence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the filter area is enlarged to improve filtering efficiency, then the liquid discharge head size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial arrangement from a linear flow path to a three-dimensional overlapping configuration. The inlet of the fluid restrictor is positioned to overlap with the filter in the vertical direction (second direction), allowing the filter area to be enlarged without increasing the horizontal footprint of the head. This dimensional reorganization resolves the contradiction by decoupling filter area from head volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested arrangement where the fluid restrictor is positioned within the vertical space above the filter. The inlet of the fluid restrictor overlaps with the filter area, effectively nesting the restrictor structure within the filter's vertical envelope. This allows both components to occupy overlapping spatial projections without requiring additional horizontal space, thereby enlarging effective filter area while maintaining compact head size.
2Reliability
If the filter area is increased to remove more foreign matter, then the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the spatial occupation of the filter and fluid restrictor by positioning their projections to overlap. This combining of spatial envelopes allows the system to achieve enhanced filtering capability (larger effective filter area) without adding separate horizontal space requirements, thereby avoiding proportional increases in structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
By transitioning from a two-dimensional planar arrangement to a three-dimensional overlapping configuration, the patent enables larger filter area without linearly increasing the number of components or their spatial separation, thus managing device complexity while improving reliability.
3Volume of moving object
If the inlet of the restrictor is positioned to overlap the filter, then the filter area is enlarged without increasing head size, but fluid flow disruption may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces inclined surfaces at the inlet of the fluid restrictor to replace sharp edges with gradual transitions. This curvature modification reduces flow separation and turbulence as liquid enters the restrictor from the filter, maintaining flow efficiency despite the overlapping configuration that enables compact head size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the inlet structure by introducing inclination angles and curved surfaces. These parameter changes optimize the flow transition characteristics, reducing turbulence and maintaining efficient fluid flow while allowing the inlet to overlap with the filter area for compact head design.
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 stable and efficient liquid supply and discharge while preventing the enlargement of the liquid discharge head, ensuring high-quality image formation and maintaining the head's compactness.
Implementation Method 1
a filter for removing foreign matter and the like from a liquid supplied to an individual chamber communicating with one or more nozzles formed in the head
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge head, includes a nozzle from which liquid is discharged, an individual chamber communicating with the nozzle, a supply channel communicating with the individual chamber, the liquid flowing through the supply channel in a first direction, and a filter disposed upstream of the supply channel, the liquid filtering through the filter in a second direction. The first direction intersects the second direction, and the supply channel includes an inlet disposed at a position overlapping the filter in the second direction.