Liquid Ejecting Head Nozzle Inertance Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting heads face challenges in achieving high-density nozzle arrangements while maintaining efficient ink ejection, as known techniques struggle to balance the efficiency of nozzle flow path arrangement and ink ejection efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The liquid ejecting head features a dual-line nozzle arrangement with alternating individual flow paths, where the flow path resistance and inertance are carefully calibrated to minimize errors in ejection characteristics between nozzles, using piezoelectric elements for ink ejection and a circulation mechanism to recirculate ink between common liquid chambers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-density nozzle arrangement is implemented, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to difficulty in maintaining consistent ejection characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the flow path system into multiple independent individual flow paths, each connecting a specific nozzle to the liquid supply. This segmentation allows each flow path to be independently designed and controlled, enabling high-density nozzle arrangement while maintaining consistent ejection characteristics through uniform flow path parameters across all segments
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by ensuring that each individual flow path has specifically controlled local characteristics (resistance and inertance) tailored to maintain uniform ejection performance. By optimizing the flow path structure at the local level around each nozzle, the system achieves consistent ejection characteristics even with high nozzle density
2Productivity
If flow paths are arranged efficiently for high density, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to difficulty in maintaining equal flow path resistance and inertance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by carefully adjusting and controlling the flow path resistance and inertance parameters of each individual flow path. Through optimized design of flow path dimensions, lengths, and configurations, the system achieves equal or substantially equal resistance and inertance values across all flow paths, ensuring reliable and uniform ejection characteristics while maintaining high nozzle density
3Manufacturing precision
If alternating individual flow paths are used for each nozzle, then manufacturing precision is improved through reduced ejection errors, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses segmentation to create alternating individual flow paths for nozzles in different rows. This segmentation approach, while increasing structural complexity, enables precise control over each flow path's resistance and inertance, thereby achieving reduced ejection errors and improved manufacturing precision through minimized diagonal banding and consistent droplet characteristics
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 allows for efficient and balanced ink ejection across multiple nozzles, reducing errors in ejection characteristics and improving overall printing efficiency by ensuring consistent flow path resistances and inertances, leading to improved printing quality and density.
Implementation Method 1
a piezoelectric element that changes volume of the pressure chamber by deformation
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid ejecting head including a plurality of nozzles (N) that eject a liquid along a first axis, a row of individual flow paths that includes a plurality of individual flow paths (Q) arranged in parallel along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis when viewed in a direction of the first axis, the row of individual flow paths each being provided to a corresponding one of the plurality of nozzles, a plurality of energy generating portions (44) that generate energy to eject the liquid, the plurality of energy generating portions each being provided to a corresponding one of the plurality of nozzles, a first common liquid chamber (K1) that is commonly in communication with the plurality of individual flow paths, and a second common liquid chamber (K2) that is commonly in communication with the plurality of individual flow paths. The plurality of individual flow paths include a first individual flow path (Q1) and a second individual flow path (Q2) that are adjacent to each other in the row of individual flow paths, and in the first individual flow path, a first energy generating portion in the plurality of energy generating portions is provided midway of a first communication flow path that communicates the first common liquid chamber and a first nozzle in the plurality of nozzles with each other and an inertance of the first communication flow path is smaller than an inertance of a second communication flow path that communicates the second common liquid chamber and the first nozzle with each other. In the second individual flow path, a second energy generating portion in the plurality of energy generating portions is provided midway of a third communication flow path (Q3) that communicates the second common liquid chamber and a second nozzle in the plurality of nozzles with each other and an inertance of the third communication flow path is smaller than an inertance of a fourth communication flow path (Q4) that communicates the first common liquid chamber and the second nozzle with each other.