Liquid Ejecting Head Oblique Chip Arrangement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting heads and apparatuses face challenges in minimizing size while maintaining effective ink ejection and arrangement efficiency, particularly when multiple heads are aligned in a line, leading to increased dimensions and potential ink suction issues.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a configuration where head chips are arranged in a virtual parallelogram shape on the ejection surface, with overlapping and offset positions to reduce the size of the ejection surface and minimize ink suction, allowing for a more compact and efficient line head arrangement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple liquid ejecting heads are arranged side by side to form a line head, then the ejection coverage and productivity are improved, but the size of the line head becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies oblique arrangement of head chips at angles (e.g., 45 degrees) relative to the medium transport direction, transforming a conventional linear arrangement into a diagonal configuration. This dimensional change allows multiple heads to be packed more efficiently within a compact footprint, reducing the overall line head size while maintaining full ejection coverage across the medium width.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric positioning where head chips are arranged at oblique angles rather than symmetric linear spacing. This asymmetric layout optimizes the spatial distribution of nozzles, allowing the line head to achieve maximum ejection coverage with minimal total area by utilizing angular relationships between adjacent heads.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the area of the region where the head chip is not arranged increases on an ejection surface, then the alignment and structural stability are improved, but the size of the liquid ejecting head becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
By arranging head chips at oblique angles rather than linearly, the patent creates a compact triangular or parallelogram-shaped ejection surface. This angular arrangement eliminates large empty regions between heads while maintaining structural stability through the geometric interlocking of adjacent chips at specific angles.
Solution Approach 2:
The oblique arrangement causes adjacent head chips to overlap in their projection onto the ejection surface, merging their coverage areas more effectively. This merging reduces the total unarranged region area while the angular geometry provides inherent alignment references for stable positioning.
3Area of stationary object
If head chips are arranged in a compact configuration to reduce size, then the device miniaturization is improved, but ink suction issues may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric oblique arrangement creates specific geometric relationships between adjacent head chips that optimize fluid flow paths. The angular positioning ensures proper spacing and orientation of nozzles, preventing ink suction issues while maintaining compact overall dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The oblique arrangement at specific angles creates three-dimensional spacing relationships that prevent ink suction problems. By positioning heads diagonally rather than linearly, the design maintains adequate flow paths and prevents capillary action from causing ink suction, even in compact configurations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid ejecting head that has an ejection surface configured to ejecti a liquid includes a plurality of head chips that are long in a first direction. The plurality of head chips are arranged inside a virtual parallelogram including a first virtual side and a second virtual side that are in contact with at least one of the plurality of head chips and that extend in the first direction, and a third virtual side and a fourth virtual side that are in contact with at least one of the plurality of head chips and that extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and the ejection surface is not overlapped with an acute-angled portion of the virtual parallelogram when the ejection surface is viewed in a normal direction of the ejection surface.