Ink-Jet Head Manifold Acoustic Capacitance Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink-jet heads face challenges in attenuating pressure waves effectively due to reduced size, leading to potential cross-talk and uneven jetting characteristics, as the area of the vibration plate acting as a damper decreases, reducing its ability to dissipate pressure fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
A liquid droplet jetting apparatus with a common liquid chamber having distinct areas of varying acoustic capacitance, where the second area has a greater acoustic capacitance per unit length, is designed to efficiently attenuate pressure waves by increasing the length and cross-sectional area of the second area, and incorporating a thin-walled film and damper chambers with lower stiffness to enhance damping capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the ink storage chamber size is reduced to achieve high densification, then the head size is reduced, but the area of the vibration plate acting as a damper is decreased, leading to insufficient pressure wave attenuation
Solution Approach 1:
The ink storage chamber is segmented into a first area and a second area with different acoustic capacitance characteristics. The first area has lower acoustic capacitance per unit length while the second area has higher acoustic capacitance per unit length, allowing each area to serve different functional purposes in pressure wave management while maintaining a compact overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different areas of the ink storage chamber are given different acoustic capacitance properties. The second area specifically is designed with greater acoustic capacitance per unit length to act as an effective damper for pressure waves, while the first area has different characteristics, creating localized functional zones within the compact chamber.
2Productivity
If the area of the vibration plate is decreased due to reduced ink storage chamber size, then the head achieves higher densification, but the pressure wave cannot be attenuated sufficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic capacitance parameter is varied spatially within the ink storage chamber by creating distinct first and second areas with different acoustic capacitance per unit length. This parameter change allows the system to maintain effective pressure wave attenuation in the second area while keeping the overall chamber size reduced for high densification.
3Length of stationary object
If the common liquid chamber is made compact, then the head size is reduced, but the ability to dissipate pressure fluctuations is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves from considering only the length dimension to incorporating cross-sectional area considerations. The second area is designed with greater cross-sectional area in addition to appropriate length, increasing its acoustic capacitance per unit length and enabling effective pressure wave dissipation within a compact overall chamber volume.
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 effectively reduces cross-talk and maintains consistent jetting characteristics by ensuring efficient pressure wave attenuation, preventing air bubbles from affecting the jetting process and improving printing quality.
Implementation Method 1
an acoustic capacitance of the second area, per unit length along a direction in which the common liquid chamber is extended, is greater than an acoustic capacitance of the first area, per unit length
Implementation Method 2
a portion of a vibration plate, overlapping with the recess acts as a damper which dissipates a pressure fluctuation (which attenuates a pressure wave) in the ink storage chamber
Data Source
AI summary
An ink-jet head includes a plurality of pressure chambers arranged in a paper feeding direction, and two manifold channels extended along the paper feeding direction. The manifold channel includes a first area which communicates with the pressure chambers, and a second area which is connected to an end of the first area, on a side opposite to an ink inflow port, and communicates with a plurality of dummy nozzles. A width of the second area is more than a width of the first area, and an acoustic capacitance of the second area, per unit length in the paper feeding direction is higher than an acoustic capacitance of the first area, per unit length in the paper feeding direction. Accordingly, it is possible to attenuate efficiently a pressure wave in the manifold channel.