Liquid Ejection Head Channel Partitions with Bond-Free Communication Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejection heads face issues with crosstalk and pressure drop due to limited damper and fluid areas, leading to decreased image quality, while increasing chip size is undesirable.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejection head design that omits a bonding layer between channel partitions of common supply and collection channels, incorporating a minute communication portion to maintain channel areas and reduce pressure loss without enlarging the chip.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If damper members are joined to upper portions of channel partitions with sufficient joining areas, then bonding reliability is improved, but damper areas and fluid areas become small leading to increased crosstalk and pressure drop
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a 2D planar joining approach to a 3D vertical integration by forming the communication portion through substrate lamination. The communication portion extends from the first substrate through the second substrate, creating a three-dimensional fluid pathway that provides sufficient fluid area and damper area without compromising bonding reliability in the horizontal plane.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication portion is nested within the channel partition structure, with the first and second substrates laminated to form a layered configuration. The fluid pathway is embedded within the partition itself, allowing the partition to serve both structural and fluid conduction functions simultaneously.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If joining areas are made small to prevent bonding layer protrusion, then channel closure risk is reduced, but sufficient joining areas for reliable bonding are not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves the fluid communication function from the horizontal plane to the vertical dimension through substrate lamination. The communication portion extends through the thickness of the substrates, providing adequate fluid pathway area without requiring large horizontal joining areas that would cause bonding layer protrusion.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If chip size is increased to provide sufficient damper areas, fluid areas, and joining areas, then crosstalk and pressure drop are reduced, but device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The communication portion is integrated within the channel partition structure itself, nesting the fluid pathway function within the existing structural framework. This eliminates the need for separate dedicated areas for fluid conduction and damper functions, maintaining compact chip dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel partition serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural separation between channels, contains the fluid pathway for communication, and integrates damper functionality. This multi-functionality reduces the overall chip size by eliminating the need for separate dedicated structures for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejection head and liquid ejection apparatus are capable of reducing or preventing a decrease in image quality without increasing the chip size. To achieve this, a configuration is employed in which a bonding layer is not provided between a liquid supply substrate and channel partitions between common supply channels and common collection channels, and a minute communication portion is provided there.