Liquid Ejecting Head Wiring Substrate Horizontal Insertion

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Solution Overview

Problem

The assembly of ink jet type recording heads is complex due to the need to maintain a vertical orientation of the wiring substrate and fix the wiring member, leading to increased costs and operational difficulties.

Innovation Solution

A liquid ejecting head design that allows for easy connection of the wiring member to the wiring substrate by inserting it into specific holes from the stacking direction, with the second flow path member moved to the head chip side, facilitating machine-based automatic assembly and reducing assembly costs by regulating the inclination and collapse of the seal member, and using a fixing member to accommodate multiple head chips.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the wiring substrate is arranged vertically to the liquid ejecting surface and the wiring member is fixed in that position, then the connection between wiring member and wiring substrate can be established, but the assembly operation becomes complex and costly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional assembly approach by having the wiring substrate extend horizontally from the side of the flow path member rather than vertically from the nozzle surface. This allows the wiring member to be inserted from the side in a horizontal direction, transforming a complex vertical alignment and fixation operation into a simple lateral insertion operation that can be easily automated

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The wiring substrate is designed to extend automatically from the side of the flow path member to the head chip side, allowing the wiring member to be simply inserted and connected without requiring complex positioning or fixation operations. The structure itself facilitates the connection process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If the wiring substrate and wiring member are fixed while maintaining predetermined position and direction, then connection is achieved, but assembly costs increase due to complex operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidassembly cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of fixing components in a vertical orientation with complex positioning, the patent uses a horizontal extension configuration where the wiring substrate naturally extends from the flow path member side, allowing simple lateral insertion and connection that reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining connection stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Productivity

If machine-based automatic assembly is used, then productivity increases, but the structure must be suitable for automated insertion from stacking direction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly speedVSAvoidstructural adaptation
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent configures the wiring substrate to extend horizontally from the side of the flow path member rather than vertically, enabling machine-based automatic assembly where the wiring member can be inserted from the stacking direction in a simple horizontal motion, making the structure highly suitable for automated production lines

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The liquid ejecting head is divided into distinct functional modules (flow path member, head chip, wiring substrate) that can be independently manufactured and then easily assembled through simple insertion operations, facilitating machine-based automatic assembly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2839960B1Liquid ejecting head and liquid ejecting apparatus
Publication Date: 2020.08.05 SEIKO EPSON CORP
  • EP2839960B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2839960B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2839960B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A liquid ejecting head includes a head chip that ejects ink from a liquid ejecting surface, in which an inlet is disposed on the side opposite to the liquid ejecting surface, an upstream flow path member where an upstream flow path is disposed, a downstream flow path member where an accommodating space that accommodates the head chip and a downstream flow path are disposed, a wiring member that is connected to a piezoelectric actuator in the head chip, and a wiring substrate, in which a first insertion hole, into which the wiring member is inserted, is disposed in the wiring substrate, a second insertion hole that is open to the accommodating space and the wiring substrate side for the wiring member to be inserted is formed in the downstream flow path member, and the wiring member is inserted into the first insertion hole and the second insertion hole to be bonded to the upstream flow path member side of the wiring substrate.