Liquid Ejection Head Channel Design for Narrow Pitch Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejection heads face challenges in narrowing the pitches between ink supply paths in the support member to match the narrow pitches between supply ports in the element substrate, leading to increased component count and cost due to the use of channel members formed by laminating multiple injection-molded members.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejection head design that includes a channel member with expanding portions to facilitate fluid connection between an element substrate and a support member, allowing for narrower pitches and reduced component count by using anisotropic wet etching to form channels with expanding portions in a single silicon member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple injection-molded members are laminated to form a channel member, then the channel member can be manufactured with standard thickness, but the pitch between channels cannot be narrowed sufficiently and component count increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple channel-forming functions into a single channel member made by injection molding. The channel member includes multiple channels with different pitches in different regions, eliminating the need for separate pitch-changing components and reducing the total number of parts while achieving the required pitch transformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses varying channel depths (different distances from the bonding surface to the channel bottom) to achieve pitch transformation. By utilizing the depth dimension, the channel member can connect supply ports at different pitches without requiring additional lateral space or multiple stacked components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple members are laminated to form a channel member, then pitch transformation is possible, but manufacturing cost increases due to increased component count
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple pitch transformation functions into a single injection-molded channel member. The mold includes multiple cavities that form channels with different pitches in different regions, allowing one component to replace what would traditionally require multiple assembled parts, thereby reducing manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent varies the channel depth parameter (distance from bonding surface to channel bottom) across different channel regions to achieve pitch transformation. This parameter change allows the same component to accommodate different pitch requirements without requiring multiple different parts.
3Ease of manufacture
If injection molding is used to form the channel member, then the resin wall thickness is limited to about 0.5 mm, but this limits the ability to narrow channel pitches further
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the depth dimension (distance from bonding surface to channel bottom) to achieve pitch transformation without requiring the resin wall thickness to be reduced. By varying channel depths rather than wall thicknesses, the design maintains manufacturable wall thicknesses while achieving the required pitch narrowing.
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
Enables efficient liquid circulation with reduced channel pitch mismatch and component count, resulting in a more cost-effective and compact liquid ejection apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
The first channel includes: a first penetrating portion penetrating through the channel member in a direction of the lamination; a first expanding portion partly facing a first opening of the first supply path, having a depth in the direction of the lamination, and extending in a first direction from a position opposed to the first opening to the first penetrating portion; and a second expanding portion partly facing a second opening of the first support member supply path, having a depth in the direction of the lamination, and extending in the first direction from the first penetrating portion to the second opening so as to have an opening area larger than an opening area of the first expanding portion.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a liquid ejection head, a liquid ejection apparatus, a method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head in which an element substrate and a support member differing in the pitches between liquid supply ports are fluidly connected by a channel member. To that end, supply paths in the element substrate and resin supply paths in the support member are connected by channels formed in the channel member and including expanding portions.