Multilayer Liquid Ejection Head Heating for Uniform Droplet Size
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejection heads face challenges in maintaining consistent liquid droplet sizes due to temperature-dependent viscosity, which is exacerbated by increased heat application to achieve suitable ejection temperatures, leading to uneven temperature distributions and difficulty in effectively heating the liquid.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejection head with a multilayer heating member structure, comprising a heat generation portion, a conductive portion, and a coupling portion, which evenly distributes heat across the heating surface to maintain consistent temperature and viscosity of the liquid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the power supplied to the heater is increased to heat the liquid to a suitable ejection temperature within a predetermined period, then the heating speed is improved, but the temperature range of the spatial temperature distribution increases, making it difficult to effectively heat the liquid in the flow channel
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is divided into multiple independent heating elements arranged in the flow direction. Each heating element can be controlled independently, allowing selective activation of only the necessary heating zones based on liquid flow rate and temperature requirements, thereby reducing overall temperature distribution range while maintaining heating speed
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the heater are designed with different heating characteristics - the upstream portion uses higher power density for rapid initial heating, while the downstream portion uses lower power density for temperature stabilization, creating a gradient heating structure that maintains both heating speed and temperature uniformity
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 multilayer structure effectively heats the liquid, reducing temperature variance and maintaining viscosity consistency, thereby ensuring uniform droplet sizes and efficient ejection.
Implementation Method 1
a heat generation portion configured to generate heat by applied power
Implementation Method 2
a first conductive portion facing one surface of the heat generation portion
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejection head includes a flow channel member including a flow channel through which liquid flows and a heating member that is attached to an outer wall surface of the flow channel member and configured to heat the liquid in the flow channel. The heating member includes a first layer including a heat generation portion configured to generate heat by applied power, a second layer including a first conductive portion facing one surface of the heat generation portion, and a first coupling portion that electrically couples the heat generation portion and the first conductive portion.