Inkjet Head Annular Escape Grooves for Adhesive Flow Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Variations in the amount of adhesive flowing into ink flow paths in inkjet heads lead to inconsistent ink ejection characteristics and degraded print quality due to differences in escape groove sizes, causing uneven flow resistance among nozzles.
Innovation Solution
The inkjet head design features a common ink chamber with individual ink flow paths extending through pressure chambers, where one surface of the first plate has annular escape grooves surrounding holes to uniformly allow adhesive to escape, ensuring all grooves communicate with the atmosphere and maintain equivalent conditions for adhesive flow, thus minimizing variations in ink ejection characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If escape grooves are formed in mating faces of metal plates to allow adhesive to escape, then adhesive overflow into ink flow paths is reduced, but variations in escape groove sizes cause non-uniform adhesive flow and inconsistent ink ejection characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies equipotentiality by ensuring all escape grooves have identical dimensions and are positioned at equivalent locations relative to their respective holes. This creates uniform adhesive flow conditions across all grooves, eliminating variations in ink ejection characteristics while still allowing adhesive to escape from all locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the escape grooves by specifying precise dimensional relationships (width W1, depth D1, length L1) and positioning (distance W2 from hole centers). By controlling these parameters to be uniform across all grooves, the patent ensures consistent adhesive flow behavior and uniform ink ejection performance.
2Loss of substance
If multiple escape grooves are formed to surround holes, then adhesive can escape from multiple locations, but differences in groove amounts among plates cause variations in flow path areas and degrade print quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures that each escape groove is positioned at an equivalent distance W2 from the center of its associated hole, and all grooves have identical dimensions (W1×D1×L1). This equipotential arrangement ensures uniform adhesive escape behavior across all grooves, maintaining consistent flow path areas and reliable ink ejection speed across all nozzles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by tailoring the escape groove configuration to each specific hole location while maintaining uniformity. Each groove is locally adapted to its position (surrounding the hole at distance W2) but with consistent dimensions, ensuring that adhesive escape is optimized for each location while maintaining overall uniformity in ink ejection characteristics.
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 ensures uniform adhesive flow into all ink flow paths, stabilizing the ejection characteristics of ink droplets from nozzles and enhancing print quality by maintaining consistent flow resistance across all nozzles.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive used for bonding the first plate to the second plate
Implementation Method 2
All the plurality of annular escape grooves communicate with an atmosphere
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet head includes an ink flow path unit. The ink flow path unit includes a common ink chamber and plural individual ink flow paths. Each individual ink flow path extends from the common ink chamber to a nozzle through a pressure chamber. The ink flow path unit includes plural stacked plates including first and second plates. At least a portion of the individual ink flow paths are formed in the stacked plates. The first plate is formed with plural holes that form the portion of the individual ink flow paths. One surface of the first plate is formed with plural annular escape grooves that surround the holes, respectively. All the annular escape grooves communicate with an atmosphere.