Liquid Ejecting Head Metal Protrusions Ink Resistance

Solution Overview

Problem

Resin protrusions in liquid ejecting apparatuses are prone to damage due to stress from solvent or UV inks, leading to reduced strength and potential chemical cracking.

Innovation Solution

The use of metal for at least a part of the supply and discharge protrusions in the flow channel member, which reduces reactivity and stiffness, thereby minimizing damage from inks like solvent or UV inks, while maintaining a resin wall surface for the flow channels to avoid weight and processing issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If resin protrusions are used in the flow channel member, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the protrusions are prone to damage and chemical cracking when exposed to solvent or UV inks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The flow channel member uses a composite structure where the main body is made of resin for ease of manufacture, while the protrusions that contact ink are made of metal (such as stainless steel) to resist chemical cracking and damage from solvent or UV inks. This combination allows the structure to benefit from both materials' advantages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of making the entire flow channel member from metal, only the protrusions that are exposed to ink and require chemical resistance are made of metal, while the rest of the structure remains resin. This localized material selection optimizes both manufacturing ease and reliability where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If metal protrusions are used in the flow channel member, then resistance to chemical cracking and damage from inks is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidease of manufacture

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The flow channel member uses a composite structure where the main body is made of resin for ease of manufacture, while the protrusions that contact ink are made of metal (such as stainless steel) to resist chemical cracking and damage from solvent or UV inks. This combination allows the structure to benefit from both materials' advantages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of making the entire flow channel member from metal, only the protrusions that are exposed to ink and require chemical resistance are made of metal, while the rest of the structure remains resin. This localized material selection optimizes both manufacturing ease and reliability where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11433671B2Liquid ejecting head unit

Publication Date: 2022.09.06 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A liquid ejecting head unit configured to eject a liquid includes a flow channel member, and a liquid ejecting head configured to eject the liquid supplied from the flow channel member, in which the flow channel member includes a flow channel structure having a supply flow channel through which the liquid supplied from the outside flows, and a supply protrusion that protrudes from the flow channel structure and has a supply port for supplying the liquid from the outside to the supply flow channel, a wall surface of the supply flow channel is made of a resin, and at least a part of the supply protrusion is made of a metal.