Liquid Ejecting Head Suction Tube Meniscus Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting systems face issues with mist droplets adhering to the surface of the liquid ejection port, leading to obstruction and image quality degradation, as sucked mists coalesce into larger droplets that can smear the print medium or internal apparatus components.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting head with a suction tube having an inner diameter designed to form a meniscus before the droplet grows large enough to move, preventing coalescence and ensuring mists are securely suctioned without returning to the suction port, with the inner diameter satisfying the inequality L≦(½)·{(12·γLv/(ρ·g·π)}½, where ρ is the liquid density, g is gravity, and γLv is the interfacial energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a suction port is formed to suck mists, then mist removal effectiveness is improved, but coalesced large liquid droplets drop and smear the print medium or apparatus
Solution Approach 1:
The suction tube inner diameter is optimized to a specific range (0.1mm to 0.5mm) to control the meniscus formation characteristics. By changing this geometric parameter, the system maintains meniscus stability that prevents droplet coalescence and subsequent dropping, resolving the contradiction between mist removal and droplet smearing prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The meniscus acts as an intermediary element within the suction tube that mediates between the suction force and the liquid droplets. The meniscus stability prevents direct contact and coalescence between droplets, allowing mist removal while preventing the harmful effect of droplet dropping and smearing
2Quantity of substance
If the suction tube inner diameter is large, then mist flow capacity is improved, but meniscus stability decreases and droplets coalesce and drop
Solution Approach 1:
The suction tube inner diameter is precisely controlled within the range of 0.1mm to 0.5mm. This parameter optimization balances two competing requirements: providing sufficient cross-sectional area for mist flow capacity while maintaining a small enough diameter to ensure meniscus stability and prevent droplet coalescence
3Stability of the object's composition
If the suction tube inner diameter is small, then meniscus stability is improved, but mist flow capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The suction tube inner diameter is set to a minimum of 0.1mm to ensure adequate meniscus stability. This parameter constraint prevents the tube from being too small, which would restrict mist flow capacity, while being small enough to maintain meniscus stability and prevent droplet coalescence
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 design effectively prevents mist droplets from coalescing and dropping, ensuring clear image quality by securely suctioning mists through the suction tube, reducing the risk of smearing and maintaining apparatus cleanliness.
Implementation Method 1
the suction tube has an inner diameter L of a size sufficient to form a meniscus before a liquid droplet adhering to the inside of the suction tube coalesces and grows to a size large enough to begin moving toward the suction port
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting head is provided with a suction port capable of avoiding the return of mists, which have already been sucked through a suction port, back to the suction port. In view of this, the inner diameter of a suction tube for allowing liquid mists taken in through the suction port to pass is designed such that a meniscus is formed before a liquid droplet adhering to the inside of the suction tube grows enough to move toward the suction port.