Liquid Ejecting Head Elastic Body Installation Guide

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Solution Overview

Problem

In liquid ejecting apparatuses, such as ink jet printers, the installation of elastic bodies between constituent members can lead to faulty installations due to misalignment and clinging issues, particularly when flexible members are bent, causing the elastic bodies to incline or adhere to the recesses.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a tapered recess on the second support portion to guide the elastic body's end toward the bottom surface, and a protruding portion on the flexible member or facing surface to prevent clinging, ensuring proper alignment and support of the elastic bodies during installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the elastic body is installed by inserting it into the recess supported by the protruding portion on the flexible member, then the elastic body can be supported and installed, but the flexible member may cling to the facing surface when bent, causing faulty installation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of elastic body installationVSAvoidinstallation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The recess is divided into two functional zones: an upper guide portion with a larger opening and a lower accommodation portion with a smaller opening. This segmentation allows the elastic body to be guided during insertion while preventing the flexible member from entering and clinging to the facing surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide portion acts as an intermediary structure between the elastic body and the accommodation portion. It facilitates the insertion of the elastic body while blocking the flexible member, thus mediating between the need for easy installation and the need to prevent faulty installation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the recess has a uniform opening size, then the elastic body can be easily inserted, but the flexible member may enter the recess and cling to the facing surface when bent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of elastic body insertionVSAvoidflexible member clinging

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Different parts of the recess have different opening sizes: the guide portion has a larger opening to facilitate elastic body insertion, while the accommodation portion has a smaller opening to prevent flexible member entry. This local quality variation resolves the contradiction between ease of insertion and prevention of clinging.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The guide portion is designed in advance with a larger opening to preemptively guide the elastic body during insertion, preventing the flexible member from entering the recess before the elastic body is properly installed. This preliminary structural design prevents the harmful effect before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If the recess opening is large to facilitate elastic body insertion, then installation is easier, but the flexible member is more likely to enter and cause faulty installation when bent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of elastic body installationVSAvoidinstallation precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The recess is segmented into a guide portion with a large opening for easy elastic body installation and an accommodation portion with a small opening to maintain installation precision by preventing flexible member entry. This segmentation allows both ease of manufacture and installation precision to be achieved.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 facilitates the normal installation of elastic bodies while preventing clinging, reducing the likelihood of faulty installations and ensuring accurate positioning, even when the flexible member is bent.

Implementation Method 1

A side surface of the recess has a tapered portion formed therein to guide the other end of the elastic body toward a bottom surface of the recess

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGeometric guidance: Geometry

Implementation Method 2

The protruding portion becomes interposed between the flexible member and the facing surface around the periphery of the recess when the flexible member is flexibly bent toward the facing surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical spacing: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS9914303B2Liquid ejecting head

Publication Date: 2018.03.13 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A liquid ejecting head includes a first member on which a flexible members is arranged, a second member having a facing surface facing the flexible member, an elastic body that is interposed between the flexible member and the facing surface, a first support portion disposed on the flexible member which supports one end of the elastic body, a second support portion disposed on the facing surface which has a recess of which a side surface has a tapered portion formed therein to guide the other end of the elastic body toward a bottom surface of the recess, and a protruding portion that is disposed on either the flexible member or the facing surface and that becomes interposed between the flexible member and the facing surface around the periphery of the recess when the flexible member is flexibly bent toward the facing surface.