Liquid Discharge Head Staggered Port Layout for Sticking Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid discharge heads experience discharge failures due to liquid thickening and sticking when discharge ports are left in contact with air for extended periods, particularly in serial heads that stop during scanning, leading to evaporation and stagnation of liquid.
Innovation Solution
The liquid discharge head design features a staggered arrangement of supply and collection ports with extended common channels that prevent dead ends, ensuring continuous liquid circulation and reducing stagnation, even when circulation is stopped.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If liquid discharge ports are continuously kept in contact with air for a long time, then evaporation of the liquid occurs causing thickening and sticking, but continuous circulation of liquid is required to prevent this
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid discharge head is divided into multiple independent liquid circulation systems, each with its own supply channel and collection channel. This segmentation allows each system to circulate liquid independently, preventing sticking at discharge ports while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The supply channel extends beyond the discharge port array in the liquid discharge direction, creating a preliminary liquid supply path. This preliminary action ensures that fresh liquid is continuously available at the discharge ports before any potential sticking occurs, preventing evaporation-related problems proactively.
2Reliability
If circulation of liquid is stopped, then liquid in a certain area may be less likely to be diffused than being evaporated from a discharge port, but stopping circulation saves energy and reduces wear
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid circulation system is designed to maintain continuous liquid flow through the supply channel and collection channel even when the discharge head is not actively printing. The extended supply channel ensures liquid continuously reaches the discharge ports, preventing evaporation and sticking without requiring high energy consumption, as the flow can be maintained at lower speeds during idle periods.
3Productivity
If supply ports are aligned with discharge ports, then liquid supply path is direct and efficient, but dead ends form causing liquid sticking
Solution Approach 1:
The supply port array is positioned asymmetrically relative to the discharge port array, with the supply channel extending beyond the discharge port array in the liquid discharge direction. This asymmetric arrangement eliminates dead ends in the liquid supply path while maintaining efficient liquid delivery to all discharge ports, preventing sticking without sacrificing supply efficiency.
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 effectively prevents liquid sticking and discharge failures by maintaining fresh liquid flow to the discharge ports, even during interruptions, thus ensuring high-quality printing.
Implementation Method 1
if liquid discharge ports are continuously kept in contact with air for a long time, evaporation of the liquid causes thickening and sticking
Implementation Method 2
liquid in a certain area may be less likely to be diffused than being evaporated from a discharge port, which can cause liquid sticking at the dead end
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge head includes a discharge port array having a plurality of discharge ports and a supply port array having a plurality of supply ports. The discharge port array and the supply port array extend from a first to a second end of the liquid discharge head. The plurality of discharge ports includes a first-end discharge port closest to the first end and a second-end discharge port closest to the second end. The plurality of supply ports includes a first-end supply port closest to the first end and a second-end supply port closest to the second end. Seen from a position facing openings of the plurality of discharge ports, an end of an opening of the first-end supply port adjacent to the first end is at a position nearer to the first end than an end of an opening of the first-end discharge port adjacent to the first end.