Liquid Discharge Head Drive Waveform Pulse Width Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Circulation-type liquid discharge heads experience variations in discharge speed among individual liquid chambers due to differences in pressure loss, leading to inconsistent droplet landing positions and degraded image quality, especially when the flow rate of liquid is increased.
Innovation Solution
A liquid discharge device with a nozzle plate, individual liquid chambers, a common liquid chamber, a circulation channel, and a pressure generator, where a predetermined drive waveform is applied to minimize the difference in discharge speed by adjusting the pulse width to match the natural vibration period of the liquid, reducing variations in initial pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the flow rate of liquid is increased to prevent drying, then the liquid circulation is improved, but the discharge speed varies among individual liquid chambers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic control by adjusting the pulse width of the drive waveform applied to the pressure generator. By making the pulse width variable and optimizing it to match the natural vibration period of the liquid, the system dynamically compensates for pressure loss variations among individual liquid chambers, maintaining consistent discharge speed while preserving liquid circulation stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of the drive waveform (pulse width) to optimize liquid discharge. By adjusting the pulse width to correspond to the natural vibration period of the liquid, the system minimizes discharge speed variations among different liquid chambers, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining circulation and ensuring discharge consistency.
2Manufacturing precision
If a predetermined drive waveform with optimized pulse width is applied, then the difference in discharge speed is minimized, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs self-service by utilizing the natural vibration period of the liquid itself as the basis for optimizing the drive waveform pulse width. Instead of requiring complex external control systems, the system leverages the inherent physical properties of the liquid to determine the optimal pulse width, thereby minimizing discharge speed variations without significantly increasing system complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If the pulse width is adjusted to match the natural vibration period, then the initial pressure variation is reduced, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by synchronizing the drive waveform pulse width with the natural vibration period of the liquid. This periodic synchronization allows the system to apply pressure at optimal intervals, reducing energy waste while maintaining consistent initial pressure across all liquid chambers. The periodic nature of the vibration exploitation ensures efficient energy utilization.
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 solution effectively reduces variations in discharge speed among individual liquid chambers, ensuring consistent droplet placement and improving image quality by optimizing the drive waveform to align with the natural vibration period of the liquid.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure generator configured to apply pressure to the liquid in each of the plurality of individual liquid chambers
Implementation Method 2
the pulse width is set to a predetermined pulse width, based on a natural vibration period of the liquid in the plurality of individual liquid chambers
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge device includes a nozzle plate including nozzles to discharge liquid; individual liquid chambers communicating with nozzles; a common liquid chamber to supply the liquid to the individual liquid chambers; a circulation channel; a common circulation chamber; a pressure generator to apply pressure to the liquid; and circuitry to apply, to the pressure generator, a predetermined drive waveform in which an electric potential is changed, from a first potential to apply an initial pressure to the liquid, to a second potential, and the second potential is kept to a predetermined timing for liquid discharging. At the predetermined timing, a discharge speed difference, caused when the initial pressure is changed in a case where the predetermined drive waveform is applied with the initial pressure applied to the liquid, is a local minimum. The initial pressure is applied to the liquid in a state without the predetermined drive waveform.