Flexible Membrane Ejection Apparatus Damage Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ejection apparatuses fail to promptly detect damage in flexible membranes, leading to potential contamination and quality issues when the ejection material contacts the operating liquid, and may produce products of deteriorated quality due to delayed detection of membrane damage.
Innovation Solution
An ejection apparatus with a two-layer flexible membrane structure and an inter-film space that allows for quick detection of damage by monitoring changes in the inter-film space, preventing contact between the ejection material and the operating liquid even if the membrane is damaged.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single flexible membrane is used to separate the ejection material and operating liquid, then the structure is simple, but damage detection is delayed and contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The single flexible membrane is segmented into a first membrane and a second membrane, creating a multi-layer structure. This segmentation allows the system to detect damage to either membrane individually while maintaining separation between the ejection material and operating liquid, thus improving damage detection timeliness without requiring an overly complex structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The first and second membranes are nested within the storing container, with the inter-membrane space positioned between them. This nested arrangement allows both membranes to be integrated into the existing storing container structure, improving damage detection capability while minimizing additional structural complexity.
2Reliability
If the flexible membrane is damaged, then the structure fails, but with a single membrane the ejection material contacts the operating liquid causing quality deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The inter-membrane space acts as a cushioning zone between the first and second membranes. When one membrane is damaged, this space provides a buffer that prevents immediate contact between the ejection material and operating liquid, maintaining separation integrity and preventing contamination even when one membrane fails.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of two flexible membranes (first and second membranes) instead of a single membrane creates redundant separation barriers. This multi-layer flexible film structure ensures that damage to one membrane does not result in direct contact between the ejection material and operating liquid, thus improving separation integrity and reducing contamination risk.
3Measurement precision
If physical properties of ejection material change due to damage, then quality is affected, but detection is delayed until physical property changes occur
Solution Approach 1:
The detector is configured to detect changes in the inter-membrane space before the ejection material and operating liquid can contact each other. This preliminary detection action occurs at the inter-membrane space level, allowing damage to be identified before it affects the ejection material quality, thus reducing detection delay time while maintaining accurate damage detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The inter-membrane space serves as an intermediary zone that the detector monitors for changes. By detecting alterations in this intermediate space rather than waiting for changes in the ejection material itself, the system achieves both early detection (reducing time loss) and accurate damage identification (maintaining measurement precision).
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 enables immediate detection of membrane damage, preventing contamination and ensuring the quality of the ejection material by maintaining separation between the ejection material and the operating liquid, thus avoiding the production of deteriorated products.
Implementation Method 1
a first pressure controller configured to control internal pressure of the second storing space
Implementation Method 2
a detector configured to detect a change in state of the inter-film space resulting from communication between at least one of the first storing space and the second storing space and the inter-film space
Data Source
AI summary
An ejection-material ejection apparatus and an imprinting apparatus are provided which are capable of quickly detecting damage of a flexible membrane and avoiding contact between an ejection material and an operating liquid even if part of the flexible membrane is damaged. The flexible membrane includes a first film (1) covering a first storing space (5) for the ejection material, a second film (2) covering a second storing space (6) for the operating liquid, and an inter-film space 4 situated between the first film (1) and the second film (2). A change in state of the inter-film space (4) resulting from communication between at least one of the first storing space (5) and the second storing space (6) and the inter-film space (4) is detected with a liquid sensor (41), a flow speed sensor (77), and a liquid leakage sensor (42).