Inkjet Head Adhesive Structure for Phase-Change Ink Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The volume and volume shrinkage rate changes in phase transition ink due to temperature fluctuations cause physical distortion and adhesion degradation between members of the inkjet head, leading to peeling and potential electrical failures, while maintaining the inkjet head at high temperature to prevent peeling increases power consumption and environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
An inkjet head design with a cover member bonded by an adhesive having a Young's modulus of 0.5 GPa to 3 GPa, incorporating hollow particles and a primer layer, to maintain durability against repeated cooling and heating cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the inkjet head is always maintained at a high temperature to prevent peeling of the adhesive portion, then the reliability of the adhesive connection is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the adhesive by selecting one with a glass transition temperature of -50°C to 0°C. This parameter change allows the adhesive to maintain flexibility and adhesion strength at room temperature after the inkjet head cools down, eliminating the need for continuous high-temperature maintenance while ensuring reliable adhesive connections throughout temperature cycles.
2Productivity
If the phase transition ink is used to achieve efficient ejection, then the productivity is improved, but the adhesive portion peels due to volume shrinkage and physical distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the reliability issue by changing the parameters of the adhesive material. By selecting an adhesive with a glass transition temperature of -50°C to 0°C, the adhesive maintains flexibility during the ink's phase transition and volume changes, preventing peeling while allowing the phase transition ink to function efficiently for high-speed ejection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite approach by combining the phase transition ink (wax-based) with a specifically formulated adhesive that has complementary thermal and mechanical properties. This composite material system allows the ink to undergo phase transition for efficient ejection while the adhesive maintains bond integrity despite volume shrinkage and physical distortion.
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 design improves durability by uniformly dispersing mechanical stress and preventing peeling between members, maintaining adhesive force even when the phase transition ink returns to room temperature.
Implementation Method 1
the volume and the volume shrinkage rate of the phase transition ink change with the phase transition. With the change, physical distortion occurs in an adhesive portion between members forming the inkjet head
Implementation Method 2
The design improves durability by uniformly dispersing mechanical stress and preventing peeling between members
Implementation Method 3
the invention of PTL 1 heats the UV ink with a heater to turn it into a sol state
Implementation Method 4
a heater that heats the ink from outside the common ink chamber
Implementation Method 5
The UV ink is phase transition ink that reversibly undergoes sol-gel phase transition depending on its temperature. The UV ink becomes gel-like, that is, highly viscous, at a low temperature
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An inkjet head 100 includes a cover member 102 which accommodates therein a head tip 10 on which a nozzle 111 for discharging ink reversibly phase-transitioning at a phase transition temperature is formed, a common ink chamber 15, and a heater 105. The cover member 102 includes a first member 1021 and a second member 1022. The first member 1021 and the second member 1022 are connected by an adhesive 80 having a Young's modulus of 0.5-3 GPa.