Inkjet Print Head Heat Management via Separation Assisting Layer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional inkjet print heads face challenges in efficient heat conduction and the formation of high-performance thin-film transistors (TFTs) due to limitations in substrate size, manufacturing accuracy, and heat management, leading to issues with temperature control and print quality, especially in high-speed printing applications.

Innovation Solution

The development of an inkjet print head with a separation assisting layer on a low heat conductivity substrate, where heating resistors, TFTs, and nozzles are formed on the separation assisting layer, and a first heat-conductive layer is placed on the opposite surface to efficiently conduct and radiate heat, allowing for high-speed operation and improved TFT performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a large-sized silicon substrate is used to accommodate multiple inkjet print heads, then the number of print heads increases, but manufacturing difficulty and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of inkjet print headsVSAvoidsubstrate manufacturing difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the print head system into multiple independent small-sized silicon substrates, each forming a complete print head unit. This segmentation allows standard manufacturing processes to be applied to each unit, avoiding the difficulties of manufacturing large-sized substrates while achieving high quantity through arraying multiple units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each silicon substrate is designed as a universal module that can be independently manufactured and then combined with others. The standardized design allows the same manufacturing process to produce multiple identical print head units, enabling scalability without increasing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Area of stationary object

If multiple inkjet print heads are combined to increase printing capacity, then printing coverage increases, but positioning accuracy and gap formation worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting coverage areaVSAvoidprint head positioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges multiple print heads into a single integrated print head assembly where nozzles from different silicon substrates are arranged in continuous arrays. This merging eliminates gaps between individual print heads and ensures uniform nozzle spacing across the entire printing width, maintaining high positioning accuracy while increasing printing coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If heat is accumulated in the print head for high-speed ink ejection, then ejection speed increases, but temperature control and print quality worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink ejection speedVSAvoidprint head temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces a heat sink structure as an intermediary between the heating resistor and the external environment. This heat sink efficiently conducts heat away from the heating region, allowing rapid heat dissipation that maintains stable print head temperature while enabling high-speed ink ejection through controlled thermal cycles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 enables effective heat management, allowing for high-speed and high-resolution printing with densely arrayed inkjet print heads, reducing material costs, and improving print quality by maintaining consistent temperature and enhancing TFT mobility.

Implementation Method 1

an electric current is sent to a heating resistor to heat up ink and ink droplets are ejected from a nozzle by pressure of vapor bubbles generated on the heating resistor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

vapor bubbles generated on the heating resistor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVaporization: Boiling

Implementation Method 3

a first heat-conductive layer on an opposite surface of the separation assisting layer from the nozzles, put in place of the substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 4

efficiently conduct and radiate heat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Data Source

PatentUS9550360B2Method for manufacturing an inkjet print head

Publication Date: 2017.01.24 TIANMA MICRO ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

Provided are a manufacturing method of an inkjet print head, the inkjet print head and a drawing apparatus equipped with the inkjet print head. The manufacturing method includes: forming a separation assisting layer on a substrate; forming heating resistors, thin-film transistors and nozzles for ejecting liquid, on the separation assisting layer; separating the separation assisting layer from the substrate; forming a first heat-conductive layer on the opposite surface of the separation assisting layer from the nozzles; and forming an ink supply port for supplying ink to the nozzles from a first heat-conductive layer side of the inkjet print head.