Liquid Ejecting Head With Overlapping Compliance for Vibration Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting heads face challenges in providing sufficient vibration absorption characteristics while maintaining a compact size, as increasing the dimensions of compliance substrates to improve vibration absorption leads to an increase in the size of the head.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting head design incorporating first and second compliance portions at specific positions on either side of the common flow path, with overlapping portions, to enhance vibration absorption without enlarging the head's dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the lateral dimensions of the common flow path and compliance substrates are increased to improve vibration absorption characteristics, then vibration absorption characteristics are improved, but the size of the liquid ejecting head is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-layer compliance substrate configuration to a multi-layer configuration where first and second compliance portions are stacked in the thickness direction. This vertical stacking allows the compliance portions to overlap when viewed from the thickness direction, effectively utilizing the Z-axis dimension to achieve sufficient vibration absorption without increasing the lateral dimensions (X-Y plane) of the liquid ejecting head.
Solution Approach 2:
The first compliance portion and second compliance portion are nested in the thickness direction, with one compliance portion positioned above the other. This nesting arrangement allows both compliance portions to occupy overlapping lateral spaces, maximizing the vibration absorption capability within a compact lateral footprint while maintaining the required compliance volume for effective vibration damping.
2Device complexity
If compliance substrates are located away from pressure chambers to simplify structure, then structural simplicity is improved, but sufficient vibration absorption characteristics cannot be provided
Solution Approach 1:
The compliance structure is segmented into multiple distinct compliance portions (first compliance portion and second compliance portion) positioned at different locations relative to the pressure chambers. This segmentation allows each compliance portion to be optimally positioned for vibration absorption while maintaining overall structural simplicity through modular design.
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 design effectively absorbs vibrations, maintaining the head's compact size while ensuring stable liquid ejection by utilizing compliance portions with varying compliance performance to optimize vibration absorption.
Implementation Method 1
a first compliance portion provided at least at a position on the first side of a coupling area in the common flow path where the common flow path is coupled to the plurality of individual flow paths; and a second compliance portion, different from the first compliance portion, provided at least at a position on a second side of the coupling area in the common flow path
Implementation Method 2
piezoelectric elements each located on a first side of the corresponding pressure chamber and configured to apply a pressure to liquid in the pressure chamber to eject liquid through the nozzle
Data Source
AI summary
a first compliance portion provided at a position on the first side of a coupling area in the common flow path where the common flow path is coupled to the plurality of individual flow paths; and a second compliance portion, different from the first compliance portion, provided at a position on a second side of the coupling area in the common flow path, the second side being the other side in the second direction and being opposite to the first side, and the first compliance portion and the second compliance portion have an overlapping portion where the first compliance portion and the second compliance portion partially overlap each other as viewed in the second direction.