Liquid Feeding Unit with Dual Chamber and Valve for Ink Dripping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid feeding units for inkjet printers face challenges in preventing ink dripping from the ejection apertures during head-difference feeding, and in efficiently managing ink flow and pressure to maintain stable ink supply to the ejection head.
Innovation Solution
The liquid feeding unit incorporates a first and second chamber system with a communication hole, an opening-closing member, and a filter member, where the opening-closing member controls the communication between the chambers to regulate ink flow and maintain negative pressure, and the filter member removes foreign matter to prevent operation failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a liquid feeding unit with a pressure chamber is used to maintain negative pressure and prevent ink dripping, then ink dripping is prevented, but the device complexity increases due to the additional chamber and valve mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid feeding unit is divided into a first chamber and a second chamber separated by a partition wall. The first chamber receives liquid from the liquid storage container, while the second chamber supplies liquid to the liquid ejection head. This segmentation allows independent pressure control in each chamber, enabling negative pressure maintenance in the second chamber to prevent dripping while simplifying the overall structure by distributing functions across separate compartments.
Solution Approach 2:
A communication hole with an opening-closing member acts as an intermediary between the first and second chambers. This opening-closing member selectively opens or closes the communication hole to regulate liquid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber, enabling precise control of liquid supply while maintaining negative pressure in the second chamber. The intermediary mechanism simplifies pressure control compared to complex valve systems.
2Reliability
If a filter member is added to remove foreign matter in the liquid, then operation reliability is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The filter member is installed in advance in the liquid feed passage within the first chamber to remove foreign matter from the liquid before it enters the communication hole and second chamber. This preliminary filtering action prevents contamination of the opening-closing member and communication hole, ensuring reliable operation without requiring complex post-assembly adjustments or specialized manufacturing processes for the filter installation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the opening-closing member is arranged in the communication hole to control liquid flow, then ink supply stability is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The opening-closing member is designed to dynamically open and close the communication hole in response to pressure differences between the first and second chambers. During normal operation, the negative pressure in the second chamber keeps the opening-closing member closed, preventing liquid leakage. When liquid is needed, the pressure balance changes and automatically opens the communication hole. This dynamic operation reduces the need for high manufacturing precision in the positioning of the opening-closing member, as the system self-regulates based on pressure conditions rather than requiring precise mechanical positioning.
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 effectively prevents ink dripping, ensures stable ink supply to the ejection head, and maintains efficient ink management by regulating pressure and filtering out foreign matter, thereby enhancing the reliability and performance of the inkjet printing process.
Implementation Method 1
The filter member is arranged in the first feed passage or in the first chamber to remove foreign matter in the liquid
Implementation Method 2
The opening-closing member is arranged in the communication hole to open and close the communication hole... the first chamber is fed with liquid through the first feed passage... the second chamber is fed with the liquid from the first chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid feeding unit has a first chamber, a second chamber, a wall portion, an opening-closing member, and a filter member. The first chamber has a first feed passage connected to it to receive liquid through the first feed passage. The second chamber receives the liquid from the first chamber, and has a second feed passage for feeding the liquid connected to it. The wall portion has a communication hole through which the first and second chambers communicate with each other. The opening-closing member is arranged in the communication hole to open and close it. The filter member is arranged in the first feed passage or in the first chamber to remove foreign matter in the liquid.