Multi-Chip Ink-Jet Head for High-Density Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ink-jet heads have limitations in achieving high-density ink jetting, which restricts their ability to produce detailed and dense ink patterns.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates four head chips with nozzle arrays arranged orthogonally, allowing for the simultaneous jetting of multiple inks, such as yellow, cyan, magenta, and black, by arranging them side by side in a specific configuration to enhance ink channel efficiency and reduce the number of through holes in the wiring substrate, thereby improving resolution and reducing the size of the ink-jet head.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional ink-jet head design is used, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision (ink jetting density) deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The ink-jet head is divided into multiple independent head chips (first, second, third, and fourth head chips), each containing specific nozzle arrays for different inks. This segmentation allows each chip to be manufactured and optimized independently, achieving high-density ink jetting while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-head chip design to a multi-dimensional arrangement of four head chips positioned side by side in a direction orthogonal to the nozzle array extension direction. This spatial dimensionality enables simultaneous jetting of multiple inks (yellow, cyan, magenta, black) with high density, achieving 1,000 to 1,600 dpi resolution without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If more head chips are arranged side by side, then ink jetting density is improved, but the size of ink-jet head increases
Solution Approach 1:
The four head chips are arranged side by side in a direction orthogonal to the first direction (nozzle array extension direction), utilizing the orthogonal dimension to pack multiple ink jetting functions into a compact footprint. This dimensional arrangement achieves high-density multi-color ink jetting while controlling the overall head size effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple head chips containing different nozzle arrays for different inks are merged into a single integrated ink-jet head structure. The channel substrate and wiring substrate serve as common platforms for all four head chips, merging their functions while maintaining independent ink jetting capabilities, thus achieving high density without proportionally increasing size.
3Productivity
If multiple nozzle arrays are integrated, then productivity (printing speed) is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges four separate head chips with different nozzle arrays (yellow, cyan, magenta, black) into a single integrated ink-jet head that can simultaneously jet all four inks. This combining approach enables high-speed multi-color printing by parallelizing the ink jetting process, achieving improved productivity while managing integration complexity through standardized channel and wiring substrate designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel substrate and wiring substrate are designed as universal platforms that can accommodate multiple head chips with different nozzle array configurations. This multi-functional design allows the same substrate structure to support various ink combinations and jetting patterns, enabling high-speed printing while reducing the complexity of manufacturing and maintaining consistency across different ink configurations.
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 higher resolution ink-jet printing, achieving up to 1,000 to 1,600 dpi by allowing for precise ink placement and reducing the complexity of the wiring substrate, thus enabling denser ink jetting without increasing the size of the ink-jet head.
Implementation Method 1
piezoelectric elements, channels through which ink passes, and nozzles communicating with the channels and from which the ink is jetted. The channels are typically formed by joining a nozzle plate formed with the nozzles, a channel substrate formed with pressure generation chambers to which pressure caused by deformation of the piezoelectric elements is transmitted
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an ink-jet head including: first and second head chips each formed with two first nozzle arrays extending in a first direction, each of the first nozzle arrays including first nozzles corresponding to a first ink, second nozzles corresponding to a second ink, and third nozzles corresponding to a third ink; third and fourth head chips each formed with two third nozzle arrays extending in the first direction, each of the third nozzle arrays including fourth nozzles corresponding to the fourth ink. The first head chip to the fourth head chip are arranged in parallel in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.