Ink-jet Recording Head Viscosity and Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for suppressing the precipitation of titanium oxide in white inks used in ink-jet recording apparatuses are insufficient, and surface treatment alone does not effectively prevent precipitation, leading to instability in ink ejection.
Innovation Solution
The use of a white ink with a viscosity of 8 mPa·s or more at 25° C, combined with a temperature adjusting unit in the ink-jet recording head to heat the ink, which enhances the suppression of titanium oxide precipitation and improves ejection stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If surface treatment is applied to titanium oxide to suppress precipitation, then dispersion stability is improved, but precipitation suppression is insufficient and ejection stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the viscosity parameter of the white ink to 8 mPa·s or more at 25°C, which fundamentally alters the ink's flow characteristics and particle suspension ability. This parameter change effectively suppresses titanium oxide precipitation and ensures stable ejection performance, resolving the contradiction between dispersion stability and ejection stability that surface treatment alone cannot solve.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system by combining high-viscosity white ink containing titanium oxide with a temperature adjusting unit. This composite approach integrates material property modification (viscosity enhancement) with device control (temperature adjustment) to achieve both improved dispersion stability and reliable ejection stability, overcoming the limitations of surface treatment alone.
2Stability of the object's composition
If white ink with high viscosity is used to reduce titanium oxide precipitation, then dispersion stability is improved, but ejection stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the viscosity parameter to a specific range (8 mPa·s or more at 25°C) that simultaneously achieves both improved dispersion stability and maintained ejection stability. This precise parameter control resolves the contradiction by identifying the optimal viscosity threshold that benefits both aspects rather than creating a trade-off.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temperature adjusting unit that dynamically controls ink temperature to maintain optimal viscosity during ejection. This dynamic adjustment allows the ink to exhibit high viscosity for precipitation suppression while being heated to reduce viscosity for stable ejection, resolving the apparent contradiction between these two requirements.
3Reliability
If temperature adjusting unit is added to heat the ink, then ejection stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses temperature adjustment as a controllable parameter to optimize ejection performance. By heating the ink, the viscosity is reduced to ensure stable ejection of high-viscosity white ink containing titanium oxide. This single parameter control (temperature) effectively improves ejection stability without requiring multiple complex subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature adjusting unit acts as an intermediary between the ink reservoir and the ejection system. It modifies the ink's physical properties (viscosity) through temperature control, facilitating smooth ejection of high-viscosity ink without requiring changes to the ejection mechanism itself, thus adding minimal complexity while achieving the desired reliability improvement.
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 increased viscosity of the white ink effectively reduces titanium oxide precipitation, while the temperature adjusting unit ensures stable ink ejection, addressing the instability issues in existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature adjusting unit configured to heat the ink
Implementation Method 2
the ink contains titanium oxide and has a viscosity of 8 mPa·s or more at 25° C.
Data Source
AI summary
An ink-jet recording apparatus includes an ink-jet recording head including an ejection port for ejecting the ink, a pressure chamber communicating with the ejection port and including therein a recording element substrate configured to generate energy for ejecting the ink, a supply channel communicating with the pressure chamber and configured to supply the ink to the pressure chamber, and a temperature adjusting unit configured to heat the ink. The ink contains titanium oxide and has a viscosity of 8 mPa·s or more at 25° C.