Liquid Ejecting Head Pressure Loss Reduction via Chamber Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In liquid ejecting apparatuses, the presence of a filter in the common liquid chamber increases pressure loss and deteriorates ejection characteristics, making it difficult to maintain the size of the liquid ejecting head while suppressing pressure loss.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting head design featuring a nozzle row with a drive element and stacked components that partition the common liquid chamber into upstream and downstream sections, where the second common liquid chamber portion is wider than the first, allowing for easier manufacturing and reduced pressure loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the size of the common liquid chamber is increased to suppress pressure loss, then pressure loss is reduced, but the liquid ejecting head becomes complex and manufacturing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The common liquid chamber is divided into multiple chambers (first common liquid chamber and second common liquid chamber) separated by a partition wall. This segmentation allows each chamber to be simpler in shape and easier to manufacture, while collectively providing sufficient volume to reduce pressure loss. The first chamber is positioned closer to the nozzles and the second chamber extends further, creating a distributed volume that reduces flow resistance without requiring a single complex large chamber.
2Loss of energy
If the size of the common liquid chamber is increased to suppress pressure loss, then pressure loss is reduced, but the liquid ejecting head size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The common liquid chamber utilizes the thickness direction (third direction) to extend the second common liquid chamber portion. By positioning the second chamber in the thickness direction rather than expanding the lateral dimensions, the design increases the effective volume for reducing pressure loss without increasing the footprint or overall size of the liquid ejecting head. This dimensional approach allows the chamber to stretch deeper into the page rather than widening it.
3Reliability
If a filter is provided in the common liquid chamber, then liquid filtration is improved, but pressure loss increases and ejection characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
A filter is introduced as an intermediary component between the liquid supply and the nozzles, specifically positioned in the first common liquid chamber. The filter serves as a mediator that captures particles and contaminants from the liquid while allowing the bulk liquid to pass through to the nozzles. By positioning the filter in the first chamber rather than blocking the main flow path, the design maintains filtration effectiveness while minimizing the impact on pressure loss and ejection characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting head includes: a nozzle row configured by arranging nozzles ejecting a liquid in a first-direction in a second-direction orthogonal to the first-direction; a drive element; and stacked components defining a common liquid chamber communicating with the nozzle row, in which the stacked components include a filter partitioning the common liquid chamber into an upstream common liquid chamber and a downstream common liquid chamber, a first-case defining a first-common-liquid-chamber-portion as a part of the upstream common liquid chamber and stacked on the filter, and a second-case defining a second-common-liquid-chamber-portion as a part of the upstream common liquid chamber and stacked on the first-case, the second-common liquid-chamber-portion is positioned in a direction opposite to the first-direction from the drive element, and a width of the second-common-liquid-chamber-portion in a third-direction orthogonal to the first-direction and the second-direction is longer than a width of the first-common-liquid-chamber-portion in the third-direction.