Inkjet Head Reservoir Uniform Flow Path Design
Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet heads face issues with air accumulation in tributary flow paths during the initial ink introduction process, leading to disturbed ink flow due to uneven ink distribution, which requires a large amount of ink to be supplied to the reservoir to discharge air.
Innovation Solution
The inkjet head design includes a reservoir unit with a main flow path and tributary flow paths, where ink from the reservoir flows into the main path and then evenly distributes into tributary paths through tributary communication ports of equal opening area, ensuring consistent ink flow and minimizing air accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If ink is supplied to the reservoir unit during initial introduction, then the common ink chamber receives ink through tributary flow paths, but air accumulation is formed in the tributary flow paths due to uneven ink distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the opening areas of tributary communication ports equal to each other, ensuring uniform ink distribution across all tributary flow paths. This local uniformity in port dimensions prevents air accumulation by guaranteeing that ink reaches all paths simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between supplying sufficient ink and maintaining flow stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameter of the tributary communication ports by setting their opening areas to be equal. This parameter standardization ensures that ink flow velocity and timing are consistent across all tributary paths, preventing air trapping while allowing adequate ink supply to fill the system during initial introduction.
2Reliability
If a large amount of ink is supplied to discharge air accumulation, then air is removed from the tributary flow paths, but excessive ink consumption occurs during initial introduction
Solution Approach 1:
By ensuring equal opening areas in all tributary communication ports, the patent creates uniform local conditions for ink entry into each tributary path. This uniformity allows air to be discharged efficiently from all paths simultaneously with minimal ink supply, rather than requiring excessive ink to flush through paths of varying dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the tributary communication ports with equal opening areas from the outset, creating a preliminary uniform flow distribution system. This preliminary configuration ensures that during initial ink introduction, air is naturally discharged from all paths in balance, eliminating the need for excessive ink consumption to achieve air removal.
3Speed
If ink flows at different speeds into different tributary flow paths, then ink reaches the common ink chamber at different times, but air accumulation is formed in paths that receive ink later
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by standardizing the opening areas of all tributary communication ports to be equal. This creates uniform local flow conditions at the entry points of all tributary paths, ensuring that ink flows into each path at the same velocity and reaches the common ink chamber simultaneously, preventing air accumulation in later-receiving paths.
Solution Approach 2:
By making all tributary communication ports have equal opening areas, the patent creates equipotential conditions for ink flow distribution. This ensures that the flow resistance and velocity are balanced across all paths, allowing ink to reach the common ink chamber at the same time from all tributary paths, thereby preventing air trapping.
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 design ensures that ink flows uniformly into all tributary paths, reducing the time difference in ink reaching the common ink chamber and preventing air accumulation, thereby maintaining smooth ink flow and reducing the need for excessive ink supply.
Implementation Method 1
The ink drop flow path drops ink flowing from the ink inflow path onto a substantially center of the main flow path as viewed in a plan view
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet head includes a flow path unit and a reservoir unit. The reservoir unit stores ink and includes an ink flow path, a reservoir flow path and an ink drop flow path. The reservoir flow path includes a main flow path formed with plural tributary communication ports, and plural tributary flow paths. A section area of the main flow path taken along a width direction of the reservoir unit is larger than each of section areas of the tributary flow paths taken along a direction perpendicular to a flow direction of ink. The ink drop flow path drops ink onto a substantially center of the main flow path as viewed in a plan view. The tributary communication ports are substantially equal to each other in an opening area.