Liquid Ejection Head Vertical Channel Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejection heads face challenges in increasing the volume of common channels without expanding in size, particularly in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal arrangement of individual channels.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a first and second common channel that overlap vertically with the pressure chambers, allowing for increased volume while maintaining the head's size by positioning the supply and return channels above and below the pressure chambers, respectively, and using a damper chamber to manage pressure and flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the volumes of common channels are increased to reduce pressure losses, then the liquid ejection head increases its size in the second direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the common channel arrangement from a planar configuration (side-by-side in the second direction) to a three-dimensional stacked configuration (one above the other in the vertical direction). This dimensional change allows the common channels to overlap with the pressure chambers vertically, increasing their volume without expanding the head's footprint in the second direction, thereby reducing pressure losses while maintaining compact dimensions.
2Volume of stationary object
If the volumes of common channels are increased, then the head's size in the second direction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The common channels are positioned in the vertical direction to overlap with the pressure chambers, utilizing the third dimension (vertical space) to increase channel volume. The first common channel is located above the pressure chambers and the second common channel is located below the pressure chambers, allowing both channels to coexist without expanding the head's width in the second direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The common channels are nested within the vertical space occupied by the pressure chambers. The first common channel is positioned above and the second common channel below the pressure chambers, creating a nested three-dimensional arrangement where the common channels utilize the vertical extent of the pressure chamber region, effectively increasing volume without lateral expansion.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejection head includes a plurality of first individual channels arranged in a first direction, a first common channel extending in the first direction and communicating with the first individual channels, and a second common channel located below the first common channel and extending in the first direction. The second common channel communicates with the first individual channels. Each of the first individual channels includes one of first nozzles, and one of first pressure chambers that communicate with the respective first nozzles and are located above the first nozzles. The first common channel and the second common channel overlap, in the vertical direction, with each other at a position above the first pressure chambers. Each of the first common channel and the second common channel at least partially overlaps, in the vertical direction, with the first pressure chambers.