Liquid Ejecting Head Silicon Substrate Cost Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost of using silicon substrates in liquid ejecting heads, such as ink jet recording heads, due to the expensive material and increased manufacturing costs, while also requiring precise formation of ink flow channels and nozzles to improve ejection properties.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting head configuration that reduces the amount of silicon used by incorporating a cover member made of a different material, such as stainless steel or polyimide, which is anchored at a distance from the nozzle plate, and includes a compliance portion for flexibility, allowing for precise formation of pressure generation chambers and nozzles with reduced processing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If silicon substrates are used to form flow channels and nozzles with high precision, then ejection properties are improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The head is divided into multiple members (flow channel formation member, nozzle plate, manifold member, cover member), allowing different materials to be used for different functions. The silicon substrate is used only where high precision is critical (flow channels and nozzles), while other parts use cheaper materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure combining silicon substrate with other materials (such as stainless steel or polyimide for the cover member). This allows leveraging the advantages of silicon for precision channels while reducing overall cost by using less expensive materials for other components.
2Ease of manufacture
If the amount of silicon used is reduced to lower costs, then manufacturing costs decrease, but ejection properties may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Silicon material is applied locally only in the flow channel formation member and nozzle plate where high precision is required for proper liquid ejection. The cover member uses different material, reducing overall silicon usage while maintaining ejection performance in critical areas.
3Ease of manufacture
If the cover member is made of the same material as the nozzle plate, then manufacturing process is simplified, but wiping performance and flexibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member is made of a different material with different physical properties (such as stainless steel or polyimide instead of silicon). This material change provides flexibility and compliance that enables effective wiping of the nozzle surface, which rigid silicon cannot achieve.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting head includes: a flow channel member made of silicon; a nozzle plate made of silicon; a manifold member, which cooperates with the flow channel member to define a manifold in fluid communication with a plurality of pressure generation chambers; and a cover member, wherein the cover member is made of a different material than the nozzle plate, and wherein the cover member is affixed to the surface of the flow channel member that is affixed to the nozzle plate. The cover member fluidly blocks the manifold from the ambient atmosphere.