Liquid Chamber Reinforcement for Printhead Filter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Particulate contamination in printing systems, particularly in printheads with small nozzles, leads to blockages and reduced printing quality and reliability, especially in continuous printing systems where all nozzles must operate simultaneously during a single pass.
Innovation Solution
A printhead design featuring a liquid manifold with a filter in fluid communication, a liquid chamber with flow-through channels, and a structure that spans the width of the chamber, mechanically coupling the walls to reduce deformation and stress on the nozzle plate, enhancing filtration and particle removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter is added to the liquid supply system to remove particulate contamination, then printing quality and nozzle reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter is integrated directly into the liquid chamber structure, merging the filtration function with the liquid containment function. This eliminates the need for separate filtration components and reduces overall device complexity while maintaining reliable particulate removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid chamber structure serves multiple functions: containing liquid, providing structural support, and housing the filtration system. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby reducing device complexity while ensuring reliable operation.
2Productivity
If high fluid pressure is applied to jet liquid from nozzles, then printing speed and productivity are improved, but nozzle blockage from particulates increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter removes particulate contamination from the liquid before it reaches the nozzles and before high pressure is applied. This preliminary filtration action prevents blockages that would otherwise occur under high-pressure jetting conditions, maintaining both productivity and reliability.
3Volume of moving object
If the liquid chamber walls are made thin to reduce size, then printhead compactness is improved, but structural deformation and stress on nozzles increase
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid chamber features localized thickening or reinforcement at critical stress points, particularly around the nozzle regions. This local quality enhancement provides necessary structural strength and prevents deformation while maintaining overall chamber compactness and thin walls in non-critical areas.
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 effectively reduces nozzle blockages, maintains high-quality printing, and improves printhead reliability by ensuring consistent liquid flow and efficient particle removal, even in page-wide printing systems.
Implementation Method 1
A filter is in fluid communication with the liquid manifold
Implementation Method 2
The liquid chamber includes a structure that is spaced apart from the nozzle plate and in contact with the filter. The structure spans the width of the liquid chamber
Implementation Method 3
A liquid source provides a liquid through the manifold, the filter, the liquid chamber under pressure sufficient to jet individual streams of the liquid from the array of nozzles
Data Source
AI summary
A printhead includes a liquid manifold. A filter is in fluid communication with the liquid manifold. A nozzle plate includes a length and an array of nozzles extending along the length of the nozzle plate. A liquid chamber is positioned between the nozzle plate and the filter. The liquid chamber is in fluid communication with the array of nozzles and the filter and includes a width that is substantially perpendicular to the length of the nozzle plate. The liquid chamber includes a structure that is spaced apart from the nozzle plate and in contact with the filter. The structure spans the width of the liquid chamber and includes a plurality of flow through channels. A liquid source provides a liquid through the manifold, the filter, the liquid chamber under pressure sufficient to jet individual streams of the liquid from the array of nozzles.