Liquid Ejection Head Connector for Fine-Pitch Electrode Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejection apparatuses face challenges in aligning fine-pitch wiring between actuator elements and flexible printed circuit boards, leading to alignment issues and increased costs due to the use of direct soldering and protrusions.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejection head design featuring a connector with through holes and bonding parts that allows for efficient connection of a drive circuit to actuator electrodes, using a flexible printed circuit board with solder or ACF mounting, and a configuration that alternates driving and non-driving piezoelectric elements for precise alignment and reduced complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If direct soldering is used to connect FPC to actuator electrodes, then electrical connection is achieved, but alignment precision deteriorates due to fine-pitch wiring difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a connector as an intermediary component between the FPC and actuator electrodes. This connector includes a connector body with through-holes and positioning protrusions that facilitate precise alignment without requiring direct soldering of fine-pitch wiring. The connector acts as a mediator that simplifies the connection process while maintaining electrical reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If protrusions and holes are used for alignment between FPC and actuator member, then alignment is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the alignment function and electrical connection function into a single integrated connector component. The connector body includes both positioning protrusions for alignment and contact terminals for electrical connection, eliminating the need for separate alignment features on the FPC and actuator member. This integration reduces overall structural complexity while maintaining alignment precision.
3Productivity
If fine-pitch wiring is implemented, then actuator element density is improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the manufacturing process into two distinct stages: first, the connector is pre-assembled with the actuator member using straightforward positioning features; second, the FPC is connected to the connector using standard pitch wiring. This segmentation allows high actuator element density to be achieved without requiring fine-pitch wiring throughout the entire assembly process, thereby improving manufacturability.
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
The design achieves low-cost implementation with high precision and reliability by simplifying the alignment process and reducing material and labor costs, while maintaining effective liquid ejection performance.
Implementation Method 1
an actuator structure between the pressure chambers and the base structure and including a plurality of piezoelectric elements and a plurality of electrodes respectively connected to the piezoelectric elements, each of the piezoelectric elements being capable of varying a volume of a corresponding one of the pressure chambers according to a drive signal that is input through the corresponding electrode
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid ejection head (1) includes nozzles (51) arranged in a first direction, pressure chambers (31) that are capable of storing liquid and communicate with the nozzles, a volume of each pressure chamber being varied to eject the liquid through the corresponding nozzle, a base structure (10), an actuator structure (20) between the pressure chambers and the base structure and including piezoelectric elements and electrodes respectively connected to the piezoelectric elements, each element being capable of varying a volume of a corresponding one of the pressure chambers according to a drive signal input through the corresponding electrode, a drive circuit (70) configured to output the drive signals, a connector (71) that connects the drive circuit to the electrodes of the actuator, the connector having three or more through holes (712) along the first direction, and bonding parts (80) in the through holes and by which the connector and the base structure are bonded.