Liquid Discharge Head Segmented Wiring for Uniform Droplet Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid discharge heads experience uneven liquid discharge due to voltage drops in electrode wiring, leading to variations in droplet speed and volume across nozzle blocks, complicating device configuration and reducing image quality.
Innovation Solution
A liquid discharge head design featuring a plurality of piezoelectric elements aligned along the nozzle direction, with a wiring pattern that includes a first and second wiring pattern connected via a loop-shaped or cross-linked configuration to reduce voltage drop and ensure consistent drive signal distribution across nozzles, thereby minimizing image density variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single common wiring electrode is used to connect all pressure generators, then the device configuration is simple, but voltage drops cause uneven liquid discharge across nozzle blocks
Solution Approach 1:
The common wiring electrode is divided into multiple segments (first common wiring electrode and second common wiring electrode) that are arranged in a stepped configuration. Each segment serves a specific block of pressure generators, reducing the total resistance in the wiring path and ensuring uniform voltage distribution across all nozzle blocks while maintaining relatively simple device configuration.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple primary common wiring electrodes are provided for different nozzle blocks, then liquid discharge uniformity improves, but device complexity increases due to additional wiring connections
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple primary common wiring electrodes are arranged in a stepped configuration along the nozzle alignment direction, creating a three-dimensional wiring structure. This spatial arrangement reduces wiring resistance and improves voltage distribution uniformity across different nozzle blocks without requiring excessive wiring connections, thus balancing liquid discharge uniformity with acceptable device complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If wiring resistance is reduced to ensure consistent drive signal, then image quality improves, but wiring path length must be increased which complicates the wiring layout
Solution Approach 1:
The common wiring electrode is segmented into multiple sections arranged in a stepped configuration, where each segment serves a localized group of pressure generators. This segmentation reduces the effective wiring path length and total resistance for each segment, ensuring consistent drive signals reach all nozzle blocks without requiring excessively long or complex wiring layouts.
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 image density differences between nozzles and connection points, enhancing image quality by maintaining consistent droplet discharge and simplifying the device configuration.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of piezoelectric elements, each corresponding to a corresponding one of the plurality of nozzles
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles to discharge liquid droplets; a plurality of piezoelectric elements, each corresponding to a corresponding one of the plurality of nozzles and disposed along a nozzle alignment direction along which the plurality of nozzles is aligned; an actuator member on which the plurality of piezoelectric elements is aligned; and wiring disposed along the nozzle alignment direction, connected to the plurality of piezoelectric elements, and included in the actuator member, the wiring including a first wiring pattern to which the plurality of piezoelectric elements is connected, the first wiring pattern including a near side proximal to and a far side distal from a source of a drive signal for the piezoelectric elements. The near side and the far side are connected via a second wiring pattern.