Liquid Discharge Head Bypass Channels Reduce Resistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid discharge heads face challenges in efficient liquid circulation and bubble purge due to high channel resistance and limited space for communication channels, which restricts the formation and functionality of these channels, especially when they are positioned within the pressure chamber area.
Innovation Solution
The liquid discharge head incorporates communication channels outside the pressure chamber area, allowing liquid to flow from the common supply channel to the common collection channel without passing through pressure chambers, enhancing liquid circulation and bubble purge properties by providing greater freedom in channel dimensions and layout, and connecting to channel portions other than those connected to pressure chambers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If communication channels are disposed within the pressure chamber area, then the liquid discharge head can be compact, but the channel resistance increases and liquid circulation is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The communication channels are disposed outside the pressure chamber area in the nozzle array direction, utilizing spatial dimensionality change to reduce channel resistance while maintaining compact head volume. This positional rearrangement allows liquid to flow from the common supply channel to the common collection channel without passing through pressure chambers, thereby reducing resistance and improving circulation.
2Device complexity
If communication channels are disposed within the pressure chamber area, then the structure is simplified, but the bubble purge capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The communication channels are extracted from the pressure chamber area and disposed outside it in the nozzle array direction. This separation allows the communication channels to function independently for bubble purge purposes without being constrained by the pressure chamber structure, thereby enhancing bubble purge capability while maintaining structural simplicity.
3Device complexity
If communication channels connect to channel portions connected to pressure chambers, then the structure is simplified, but liquid stagnation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of connecting communication channels to channel portions that are connected to pressure chambers, the invention inverts this arrangement by connecting communication channels to channel portions that are NOT connected to pressure chambers. This inversion prevents liquid stagnation by ensuring that liquid can flow through the communication channels from the common supply channel to the common collection channel without being trapped in pressure chamber connections.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge head includes a nozzle plate, a channel plate, and a common channel substrate. The nozzle plate has multiple nozzles from each of which a liquid is dischargeable. The multiple nozzles are arrayed in a nozzle array direction. The channel plate has multiple pressure chambers arrayed in the nozzle array direction in a pressure chamber area. The multiple pressure chambers respectively communicate with the multiple nozzles. The common channel substrate has a common supply channel communicating with each of the multiple pressure chambers, a common collection channel communicating with each of the multiple pressure chambers, and a communication channel disposed outside the pressure chamber area in the nozzle array direction. The communication channel connects the common supply channel and the common collection channel outside the pressure chamber area and bypass the multiple pressure chambers.