Liquid Ejecting Head Nozzle Supply Area Ratio for High Viscosity Ink
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting heads struggle with unstable ejection of liquids with viscosities higher than general ink, leading to flight deflection and shortage of ejection amount due to insufficient ink supply to the pressure chamber.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting method and apparatus where the opening area of the nozzles is set to 1/10 or less of the opening area of the supply unit on the pressure chamber side, optimizing the ink supply and ejection amount, and incorporating a pressure chamber with a partitioning portion that applies pressure variation to the liquid using a deformable element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the liquid ejecting head uses existing nozzle and supply unit configuration, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the ejection of high-viscosity liquid becomes unstable due to insufficient ink supply
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the supply unit opening and nozzle opening to resolve the contradiction. Specifically, the supply unit opening area is set to be 10 times or more larger than the nozzle opening area, which fundamentally alters the flow dynamics and ensures stable ink supply for high-viscosity liquids while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
2Quantity of substance
If the nozzle opening area is increased to improve ejection amount, then the ejection amount increases, but the ink supply to pressure chamber becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by establishing a specific ratio relationship between the supply unit opening area and nozzle opening area. The supply unit opening area is designed to be at least 10 times larger than the nozzle opening area, which ensures that the ink supply capacity is sufficiently larger than the ejection capacity, thereby maintaining stable supply while achieving adequate ejection amount.
3Ease of manufacture
If the liquid channel size is determined based on water viscosity, then the head design is standardized, but ejection of high-viscosity liquid becomes unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the design parameters of the liquid channel and opening areas to accommodate high-viscosity liquids while maintaining compatibility with existing standardized head designs. By making the supply unit opening area at least 10 times larger than the nozzle opening area, the system can handle both water-based and high-viscosity liquids without requiring complete redesign of the head structure.
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 stabilizes the ejection of high-viscosity liquids by ensuring adequate ink supply to the pressure chamber, preventing ejection failures and maintaining ejection stability even at high frequencies.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure chamber which applies a pressure variation to the liquid in order to eject the liquid from the nozzles
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a liquid ejecting method, including: ejecting a liquid from a liquid ejecting head, wherein the viscosity of the liquid is in a range from 6 mPa·s to 20 mPa·s, wherein the liquid ejecting head includes: nozzles which eject the liquid;a pressure chamber which applies a pressure variation to the liquid in order to eject the liquid from the nozzles; and a supply unit which communicates with the pressure chamber and supplies the liquid to the pressure chamber, and wherein the opening area of the nozzles on the side in which the liquid is ejected is 1/10 or less of the opening area of the opening of the supply unit on the pressure chamber side.