Liquid Ejecting Head Flow-Path Isolation for Stable Nozzle Ejection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting heads, such as ink jet printers, face issues where negative pressure from one nozzle group can affect another, leading to ejection failures due to shared common liquid chambers.
Innovation Solution
The liquid ejecting head is designed with two head chips and a flow path structure body featuring stacked flow path substrates and flexible members to isolate common liquid chambers, allowing independent operation of nozzle groups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a common liquid chamber portion is shared between multiple nozzle groups, then the device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is simplified, but negative pressure from one nozzle group affects other nozzle groups causing ejection failures
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid supply system is segmented into separate flow paths for each nozzle group. The first flow path supplies liquid to the first nozzle group through a first common liquid chamber portion, while the second flow path supplies liquid to the second nozzle group through a second common liquid chamber portion. This segmentation prevents negative pressure from one nozzle group from affecting other nozzle groups, thereby improving ejection stability while maintaining reasonable structural complexity through modular flow path design.
2Reliability
If separate flow paths are provided for each nozzle group, then ejection stability is improved by preventing negative pressure interference, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path structure body is designed as a universal component that integrates multiple functions: it forms multiple separate flow paths, provides structural support for head chips, and enables modular assembly. By making the flow path structure body a multi-functional universal component, the patent achieves separate flow paths for each nozzle group without proportionally increasing overall device complexity, thus improving ejection stability while controlling structural complexity.
3Productivity
If multiple head chips are mounted on a flow path structure body, then productivity is improved through parallel processing capability, but pressure fluctuations between nozzle groups cause ejection failures
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid supply system is segmented into independent flow paths for each head chip/nozzle group combination. Each head chip receives liquid through its dedicated flow path, preventing pressure fluctuations from one nozzle group from affecting other nozzle groups. This segmentation enables parallel processing of multiple nozzle groups while maintaining ejection stability, thereby improving productivity without sacrificing reliability.
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 reduces pressure fluctuations between nozzle groups, preventing ejection failures and ensuring stable operation of the liquid ejecting apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
a first flexible member defining a portion of the first common portion
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting head includes a first head chip including a first nozzle group and a first common liquid chamber portion communicating with the first nozzle group, a second head chip including a second nozzle group and a second common liquid chamber portion communicating with the second nozzle group, and a flow path structure body including a plurality of flow path substrates stacked in a first direction, and including a first flow path having a first common portion that communicates with the first common liquid chamber portion and the second common liquid chamber portion and extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a first flexible member defining a portion of the first common portion.