Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Driving Signal Line Commonization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses require custom-designed structures and components for different applications, leading to increased costs due to variations in nozzle density, pressure chamber configuration, and driving signal circuits.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus with a plurality of nozzles, pressure chambers, and actuators, where the driving signal line is provided multiple times the number of pressure chambers, allowing for commonization of components from the driving circuit to the actuator, and multiple actuators are driven simultaneously with the same signal to achieve high viscosity liquid ejection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If exclusive structures and components are designed and manufactured for each application, then the liquid ejecting apparatus can be optimized for specific uses, but the cost increases due to lack of commonization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a standardized driving signal line configuration that can be used across multiple liquid ejecting apparatus applications. The driving signal line is configured with a standard number of signal lines (e.g., 4 signal lines for 2 pressure chambers) that can accommodate different nozzle densities and chamber configurations through scalable actuator grouping, allowing the same basic structure to serve multiple applications without custom design for each use case.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the pressure chambers into groups that can be independently controlled through the standardized driving signal lines. Multiple actuators can be grouped to control single or multiple pressure chambers, allowing the system to be segmented into modular units that can be configured for different applications while maintaining a common standardized interface and signal line architecture.
2Device complexity
If the driving signal line is configured with one-to-one correspondence to pressure chambers, then the structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate different nozzle densities and chamber configurations across applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the actuator-to-chamber control relationship flexible rather than fixed. The system allows multiple actuators to be grouped and assigned to control single or multiple pressure chambers dynamically, enabling the same standardized driving signal line configuration to adapt to different nozzle densities and chamber arrangements by reconfiguring which actuators control which chambers, rather than requiring a fixed one-to-one mapping.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized driving signal line configuration serves multiple functions across different applications. The same number and arrangement of signal lines can support different numbers of nozzles, different chamber configurations, and different actuator groupings, making the signal line design universal rather than application-specific.
3Reliability
If multiple actuators are driven simultaneously with the same signal, then high viscosity liquid ejection is achieved, but the driving circuit complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining multiple actuators into groups that are controlled by the same driving signal through the standardized signal line configuration. Multiple actuators can be driven simultaneously through a common signal path, allowing coordinated ejection from multiple pressure chambers or grouped actuators, which enables effective high viscosity liquid ejection while maintaining a relatively simple driving circuit architecture through the standardized configuration.
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 enables commonization of components across different applications, improves ejecting efficiency, and allows for the ejection of high viscosity liquids by efficiently transmitting driving force through a shared island structure.
Implementation Method 1
a piezoelectric element is driven by being applied with a driving signal... a pressure fluctuation is caused in a space in which liquid is stored, by driving an actuator such as a piezoelectric element
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a recording head including a plurality of nozzles from which liquid is ejected, a plurality of pressure chambers which communicate with each nozzle, respectively, a piezoelectric element which causes liquid to be ejected from the nozzle by causing a pressure fluctuation in the liquid in the pressure chamber, and a printer controller which is connected to the piezoelectric element through an individual signal line, and supplies a driving signal which drives the piezoelectric element through the individual signal line. The individual signal line is provided as many as n times (here, n is natural number of 2 or more) or more of the number of pressure chambers.