Integrated Liquid Ejecting Head Layout for Nozzle Clogging Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting heads require separate heads for precoat and ink to reduce nozzle clogging, leading to increased size and complexity due to the need for dedicated reaction liquid ejecting heads.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting head that includes multiple nozzle rows for ejecting a first liquid, a reaction liquid, and a treatment liquid, with specific distances between nozzle rows to minimize aggregation and clogging, and a moving mechanism for reciprocating the head unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate liquid ejecting heads are used for precoat liquid and ink to reduce nozzle clogging, then the reliability of the liquid ejecting system is improved, but the device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple liquid ejecting heads (precoat head and ink head) into a single integrated head unit. The head unit includes a precoat liquid ejecting head and an ink liquid ejecting head disposed adjacently, allowing both functions to be performed by one integrated component rather than separate devices, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the reliability benefits of separate liquid paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated head unit is segmented into distinct functional sections: a precoat liquid ejecting head with its own nozzles for precoat liquid, and an ink liquid ejecting head with separate nozzles for ink liquid. This segmentation allows each liquid type to be ejected through dedicated nozzle rows while sharing a common head structure, reducing the need for completely separate heads while preventing cross-contamination and nozzle clogging.
2Reliability
If separate liquid ejecting heads are used for precoat liquid and ink to reduce nozzle clogging, then the reliability of the liquid ejecting system is improved, but the head unit size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the precoat liquid ejecting head and ink liquid ejecting head into a single integrated head unit with a shared structure. By combining support portions, liquid supply paths, and control mechanisms into one unit, the overall footprint is reduced compared to using completely separate heads, while still maintaining separate nozzle rows for different liquids to prevent clogging.
Solution Approach 2:
The head unit utilizes spatial arrangement in multiple dimensions, with nozzle rows for precoat liquid and ink liquid disposed adjacently in different directions. The first direction extends in one orientation while the second direction extends perpendicularly, allowing efficient packing of multiple nozzle rows within a compact head unit area, thereby reducing the overall size while maintaining functional separation.
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 solution reduces nozzle clogging and maintains efficient operation while minimizing the number of heads, thus reducing the overall size and complexity of the head unit.
Implementation Method 1
a reaction liquid containing an aggregating agent for aggregating the liquid
Data Source
AI summary
Each of a liquid ejecting head H1 and a liquid ejecting head H2 includes a plurality of head chips Hc. A first distance D1 is a distance between a nozzle row L1a disposed at an end in a +Y direction and a nozzle row L4b disposed at an end in a −Y direction. A second distance D2 between the nozzle row L4b and a nozzle row L5a is longer than the first distance D1. The liquid ejecting head H1 includes a plurality of head chips Hc1 to Hc4 having nozzle rows L for ejecting a first liquid. The liquid ejecting head H2 includes a head chip Hc8 having nozzle rows L8a and L8b for ejecting a reaction liquid and a head chip Hc5 having nozzle rows La and L5b for ejecting a treatment liquid.