Liquid Discharge Head with Segmented Ink Chambers
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Solution Overview
Problem
In liquid discharge recording type image forming apparatuses, air bubbles in the ink supply paths can cause ink discharge malfunctions due to increased dissolved oxygen rates and improper ink distribution, leading to inefficient or failed ink discharge from the recording heads.
Innovation Solution
A liquid discharge head unit with a liquid container tank and a head integrally formed, featuring a common channel with supply and discharge ports, and upstream and downstream chambers separated by a filtering member, where the second communication path has a higher fluid resistance than the first, facilitating efficient air bubble elimination by controlling fluid flow and ink distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air bubbles are present in the ink supply paths, then ink discharge malfunction occurs due to increased dissolved oxygen rates, but eliminating air bubbles requires complex air bubble eliminating mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The ink supply path is segmented into multiple chambers (first ink chamber, second ink chamber) with separate discharge paths. Each chamber has its own discharge port and liquid-air separation unit, allowing independent air bubble elimination from each segment without requiring a complex centralized system.
Solution Approach 2:
A liquid-air separation unit is introduced as an intermediary component between the ink chambers and discharge ports. This separation unit acts as a mediator that selectively allows air bubbles to escape while preventing liquid leakage, simplifying the overall air bubble elimination mechanism.
2Stability of the object's composition
If air bubbles are present in the ink supply paths, then improper ink distribution occurs, but efficient air bubble elimination requires additional discharge ports and separation units
Solution Approach 1:
The ink supply system is divided into multiple independent ink chambers (first ink chamber with first discharge port, second ink chamber with second discharge port), each equipped with its own liquid-air separation unit. This segmentation allows targeted air bubble elimination from each chamber, ensuring uniform ink distribution without requiring a single complex discharge system.
Solution Approach 2:
Each ink chamber is equipped with localized air bubble elimination functionality through individual discharge ports and liquid-air separation units. This local quality approach ensures that air bubbles are eliminated at the specific location where they occur, maintaining ink distribution uniformity without adding global system complexity.
3Productivity
If liquid-air separation units are added to eliminate air bubbles, then air bubble elimination efficiency improves, but device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid-air separation units are designed to automatically separate and eliminate air bubbles from the ink chambers without requiring external intervention or complex control mechanisms. The separation units self-regulate the discharge of air bubbles while preventing liquid leakage, improving air bubble elimination efficiency while minimizing additional structural complexity.
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 reduces air bubbles in the ink supply paths, ensuring stable and proper ink discharge from the recording heads, preventing malfunctions and maintaining image formation quality.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid resistance from the inflow port to the first discharge port is lower than resistance from the inflow port to the second discharge port
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge head unit includes a liquid container tank storing a liquid and a head discharging liquid droplets from its nozzles. The head includes a common channel supplying the liquid to liquid-chambers communicating with the nozzles, and the common channel includes a supply port introducing the liquid and a discharge port discharging the liquid. The liquid container tank includes a container including upstream and downstream chambers separated via a filtering member, a supply path supplying the liquid from the downstream chamber to the supply port of the head, a discharge path discharging the liquid obtained from the discharge port of the head, a communication path via which the downstream chamber communicates with the discharge path, and a communication path via which the upstream chamber communicates with the discharge path, where a fluid resistance of the second communication path is higher than that of the first communication path.