Inkjet Printhead Nozzle Redundant Inlets
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
High-resolution pagewidth printing faces challenges in maintaining nozzle operation due to ink supply blockages in densely packed nozzles with small bore ink inlets, leading to potential failures.
Innovation Solution
A printhead design with nozzle assemblies featuring multiple ink inlets, including a sidewall and floor inlet, each in fluid communication with a common ink reservoir, providing redundancy and reducing the likelihood of blockages, with an actuator for ink ejection and an ink supply channel for efficient ink distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If densely packed nozzles with small bore ink inlets are used to achieve high-resolution pagewidth printing, then printing resolution is improved, but ink supply blockages occur more frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The ink supply system is segmented into multiple independent ink inlets for each nozzle chamber, with at least one ink inlet positioned in the sidewall and another in the floor. This segmentation ensures that if one inlet becomes blocked, ink can still be supplied through the alternative inlet, maintaining nozzle operation reliability while supporting high-resolution printing
Solution Approach 2:
Different ink inlets are positioned at different locations (sidewall and floor) within the nozzle chamber to provide diverse ink supply paths. This local quality approach ensures that each nozzle has multiple reliable ink supply routes, preventing blockage-related failures while maintaining the high nozzle density required for high-resolution printing
2Reliability
If multiple ink inlets are provided for each nozzle chamber, then reliability of ink supply is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle chamber is segmented into distinct regions (sidewall and floor) with dedicated ink inlets in each region. This segmentation provides reliable alternative ink supply paths while maintaining a modular and manageable structure that does not excessively increase device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle chamber structure serves multiple functions by incorporating ink inlets at different locations (sidewall and floor), allowing the same structural element to provide redundant ink supply paths without adding separate complex systems
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 ensures reliable ink supply to each nozzle, preventing failures and maintaining high nozzle density and print quality by minimizing the risk of blockages and flooding, even in high-resolution printing.
Implementation Method 1
Piezoelectric ink jet printers are also one form of commonly utilized ink jet printing device. Piezoelectric systems are disclosed by Kyser et. al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398 (1970) which utilizes a diaphragm mode of operation
Implementation Method 2
thermal ink jet printing has become an extremely popular form of ink jet printing. The ink jet printing techniques include those disclosed by Endo et al in GB 2007162 (1979) and Vaught et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,728. Both the aforementioned references disclosed ink jet printing techniques that rely upon the activation of an electrothermal actuator which results in the creation of a bubble in a constricted space
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet printhead includes: a substrate; a row of nozzle chambers disposed on the substrate; an ink conduit extending longitudinally adjacent the row of nozzle chambers; and a nozzle plate spanning over the ink conduit and the row of nozzle chambers. Each nozzle chamber has a respective ink ejection opening defined in the nozzle plate; a first ink inlet defined in a sidewall of the nozzle chamber for receiving ink from the ink conduit; and a second ink inlet defined in a floor of the nozzle chamber. Each of the first and second ink inlets is in fluid communication with a common ink reservoir.