Liquid Ejecting Head Atmosphere Port Ink Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet type recording heads face issues with ink entering through atmosphere opening ports, leading to deformation and failure of components due to temperature changes and volatile ink components, which can cause separation and changes in discharge properties.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting head design with a first space portion that communicates with the atmosphere opening port, a connection path that directs excess ink back out, and a corner portion or groove surrounding the atmosphere opening port to prevent ink from entering the inner components, ensuring that ink is reserved in the first space portion and discharged before reaching the inner workings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an atmosphere opening port is provided in the head casing body to allow the inner portion to communicate with the atmosphere, then the problem of gas expansion/contraction due to temperature changes is solved, but ink enters through the atmosphere opening port and causes components to malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The head casing body is divided into a first space portion that communicates with the atmosphere opening port and a second space portion that houses components, separated by a connection path. This segmentation allows the atmosphere opening port to be positioned in a region that does not directly expose components to ink, preventing contamination while maintaining atmospheric communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection path acts as an intermediary between the first space portion (atmosphere communication) and the second space portion (component housing). This intermediary structure controls the flow path, allowing gas exchange while preventing direct ink access to components, thus resolving the contradiction between atmospheric communication and component protection.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the space in the head is open to the atmosphere to prevent separation in bonded portions and changes in discharging properties, then component separation is prevented, but ink enters through the atmosphere opening port and damages components
Solution Approach 1:
The internal space is segmented into a first space portion for atmospheric communication and a second space portion for component housing. This segmentation allows the bonded portions to remain stable through atmospheric pressure equalization while preventing ink from reaching and damaging components in the second space portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection path serves as an intermediary that allows pressure equalization between the first and second space portions, maintaining bonded portion stability, while its specific configuration prevents ink from the first space portion from entering the second space portion and damaging components.
3Reliability
If the connection path is disposed higher than the atmosphere opening port, then liquid is discharged through the atmosphere opening port before entering the second space portion, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The connection path is positioned in the vertical dimension above the atmosphere opening port, utilizing gravitational force to allow liquid to discharge through the atmosphere opening port first. This dimensional arrangement provides passive protection without requiring additional active components, resolving the contradiction between protection and complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a liquid ejecting head including a liquid ejection surface through which liquid is ejected, a head casing body in which the liquid ejection surface is provided on one surface, an atmosphere opening port which is open in an outer-side wall surface of the head casing body, a first space portion which communicates with the atmosphere opening port in the head casing body, and a second space portion which communicates with the first space portion through a connection path. The first space portion reserves liquid entering through the atmosphere opening port.