Liquid Ejection Head Perpendicular Channel Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet print heads face ejection failures due to ink thickening in ejection orifices, especially when not in use for a prolonged period, leading to increased viscosity and flow resistance, which affects ink landing accuracy and ejection efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejection head design featuring ejection orifices arranged in arrays with pressure chambers and channels that extend perpendicularly, allowing for ink circulatory flow between channels, utilizing ejection and flow energy generation elements to maintain ink flow speed and prevent thickened ink from remaining in orifices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If ejection orifices are densely arranged to increase printing resolution, then printing precision is improved, but ink flow resistance increases and ink thickening occurs more readily
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the ink supply path into multiple parallel channels that independently feed ink to adjacent ejection orifices. This segmentation allows each channel to maintain adequate flow capacity even when orifices are densely packed, preventing ink thickening while supporting high printing resolution
Solution Approach 2:
The channels extend in a direction perpendicular to the ejection orifice array (depth dimension), allowing ink to flow through the orifices from opposite directions. This dimensional approach enables dense orifice arrangement while maintaining sufficient ink flow capacity by utilizing the third dimension for flow paths
2Reliability
If channels are extended in directions parallel to the ejection orifice array to supply ink to each orifice, then ink flow to each orifice is improved, but the channel structure becomes complex and occupies excessive space
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extending channels parallel to the orifice array (2D planar expansion), the channels extend perpendicular to the array in the depth dimension. This approach supplies ink to each orifice from opposite directions through a simpler, more compact structure that avoids excessive channel branching and spatial occupation
Solution Approach 2:
Each channel serves multiple ejection orifices by extending through the entire orifice array thickness, acting as a multi-functional supply path that reduces the total number of channels needed while maintaining adequate ink flow to all orifices
3Reliability
If channels extend perpendicular to the ejection orifice array, then ink circulatory flow is enhanced and thickening is prevented, but channel manufacturing precision becomes more difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The channel formation process replaces complex mechanical precision requirements with a phase change-based formation method. By controlling the phase transition of the forming material rather than relying solely on mechanical positioning, the system achieves precise channel geometry in the perpendicular direction while simplifying the manufacturing process
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 enables dense arrangement of ejection orifices while maintaining high ink flow speed, reducing the likelihood of ejection failures by circulating fresh ink through the orifices and preventing thickened ink from adhering, thus ensuring consistent ink ejection performance.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of flow energy generation elements configured to cause the liquid in the plurality of channels to flow
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of ejection energy generation elements configured to eject a liquid in the plurality of pressure chambers from the plurality of ejection orifices
Data Source
AI summary
In a liquid ejection head, ejection orifices can be densely arranged while suppressing decrease in liquid flow speed. A channel extending through a pressure chamber extends in a direction crossing an ejection orifice array such that a liquid flows between the two ends of the channel located on the sides of the ejection orifice array.