Liquid Discharge Head Projections Manage Ink Injection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid discharge heads face challenges in managing excessive liquid during high-speed injection, leading to liquid creeping up the tank walls and potential defects in ink discharge due to incomplete absorption by the absorbent.
Innovation Solution
The liquid discharge head incorporates a cuboid-like liquid tank with multiple projections on its bottom, surrounding the injection position, to create a void space that temporarily stores excessive liquid, preventing overflow and ensuring complete absorption by the absorbent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the liquid is injected at a high speed to reduce manufacturing cost, then the injection time is reduced, but the liquid may creep up the side walls of the liquid tank due to excessive liquid not being absorbed
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom of the liquid tank is segmented into multiple regions by forming multiple projections. These projections divide the bottom surface into multiple gaps between the projections and the absorbent, creating localized storage zones that segment the liquid flow path and prevent uncontrolled spreading
Solution Approach 2:
The projections on the tank bottom act as intermediary structures between the injected liquid and the absorbent. They create a physical interface that temporarily holds excessive liquid through the formed gaps, mediating between the high-speed injection process and the absorbent's absorption capacity
2Reliability
If multiple projections are formed on the entire bottom of the liquid tank to store excessive liquid, then liquid overflow is prevented, but the absorbent cannot fully absorb the temporarily stored liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The projections are strategically positioned only at specific locations on the tank bottom rather than uniformly distributed. The projection positions correspond to regions where liquid is most likely to accumulate during high-speed injection, creating localized storage zones that do not interfere with the absorbent's overall absorption function
Solution Approach 2:
The projections pre-form specific gap structures at predetermined positions before liquid injection occurs. These pre-formed gaps are positioned to intercept and temporarily hold excessive liquid as it is injected, allowing the absorbent to subsequently absorb the liquid without direct competition from unabsorbed liquid pools
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the gap between the bottom and absorbent is increased to store excessive liquid, then liquid creep is prevented, but the liquid tank cannot maintain appropriate negative pressure
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing the gap between the bottom and absorbent, projections are formed at specific locations to create localized gaps only where needed for liquid storage. The rest of the bottom surface maintains close contact with the absorbent, preserving the overall negative pressure structure while providing localized liquid storage capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The gap structure is segmented into multiple small gaps between projections and the absorbent, rather than one large uniform gap. This segmentation allows the system to maintain negative pressure through the majority of the absorbent-bottom interface while providing distributed liquid storage zones that prevent liquid creep
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 design effectively suppresses liquid overflow, ensures complete consumption of the liquid, and maintains appropriate negative pressure in the tank, thereby improving product reliability and reducing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
capillary forces occurring between the absorbent and the liquid tank
Implementation Method 2
capillary forces occurring between the absorbent and the liquid tank
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge head includes i) a recording-element substrate configured to discharge a liquid, ii) a cuboid-like liquid tank configured to support the recording-element substrate and to store the liquid to be discharged from the recording-element substrate, and iii) an absorbent accommodated in a compressed state in the liquid tank and configured to absorb and hold the liquid. In the liquid discharge head, multiple projections are formed on a bottom of the liquid tank. In addition, as viewed in plan in a direction orthogonal to the bottom, the projections are disposed so as to surround or straddle an injection position at which the liquid is injected into the absorbent using an injection needle.