Liquid Jet Head Alignment via Opaque Substrate Through Holes
Solution Overview
Problem
The alignment of components in liquid jet heads, particularly with opaque materials, is challenging due to the inability to visually distinguish between ejection and dummy channels, leading to decreased positioning accuracy.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a first piezoelectric body substrate with ejection and non-ejection grooves and an opaque substrate with through holes that communicate with the grooves, allowing for precise alignment by observing the substrate surface through the holes, which are positioned to overlap with the non-ejection groove openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If an opaque substrate is used for the nozzle plate or cover plate, then the structural integrity and durability are improved, but the alignment precision deteriorates because the ejection channels cannot be visually observed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the principle of optical property changes by making the substrate transparent or translucent in specific regions where alignment is required. This allows the ejection channels to be visually observed through the substrate during assembly, enabling precise alignment while maintaining the overall structural integrity of the opaque substrate. The selective transparency resolves the contradiction by providing visual access only where needed without compromising the structural benefits of the opaque material elsewhere.
2Reliability
If multiple components are assembled with high precision alignment, then the ejection performance is improved, but the assembly complexity increases due to the difficulty of aligning opaque components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces assembly complexity by implementing transparent alignment regions that enable visual observation of channel positions during assembly. This eliminates the need for complex alignment tools or procedures, allowing multiple components to be assembled with high precision through direct visual feedback. The ejection performance is maintained through this simplified assembly process.
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 configuration facilitates high-precision alignment of the nozzle plate and cover plate with the piezoelectric body substrate, improving the overall assembly accuracy and reducing the complexity of aligning multiple components.
Implementation Method 1
A liquid jet head includes: a first piezoelectric body substrate which has n pieces (where n is an integer of 1 or larger) of ejection grooves arrayed with an identical pitch P in a reference direction K on a surface SF and (n+1) pieces of non-ejection grooves arrayed alternately with the ejection grooves while shifted from the ejection grooves by a half pitch (P/2)
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid jet head includes a piezoeletric body substrate and an opaque substrate bonded to the piezoelectric body substrate. The piezoeletric body substrate has ejection grooves arrayed with an identical pitch P in a reference direction and non-ejection grooves arrayed alternately with the ejection grooves while shifted from the ejection grooves by a half pitch (P/2). The opaque substrate has through holes arrayed in the reference direction. The through holes include a row of through holes corresponding in number to and communicating with the respective ejection grooves, a first through hole arranged outside of one end side of the row of through holes so that it does not communicate with any of the ejection grooves, and a second through hole arranged outside of another end side of the row of through holes so that it does not communicate with any of the ejection grooves.