Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Manifold Pressure Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid ejecting apparatuses face issues with varying droplet weight and uneven application due to pressure changes in the manifold caused by differing ink consumption rates from nozzle openings, leading to inconsistent inkjet recording.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus with a pump unit, supply path, and discharge path where the discharge path resistance is lower than the supply path resistance, along with a filter in the supply path to adjust flow resistance, ensuring stable pressure in the manifold and consistent droplet weight, and a circulation flow path for efficient ink management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ink is supplied from the outside to the ink jet recording head and discharged from the ink jet recording head to the outside, then the ink jet recording head can function properly, but the consumption of ink ejected at a time differs between when ink droplets are ejected from all the nozzle openings and when ink droplets are ejected from one nozzle opening, causing pressure change in the manifold and variation in the weight of ejected ink droplets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the flow path resistance parameter by making the discharge path resistance smaller than the supply path resistance. This parameter change ensures that pressure variations in the manifold are minimized regardless of the number of nozzles ejecting droplets simultaneously, thereby maintaining consistent droplet weight. The discharge path is designed with larger cross-sectional area or shorter length to reduce its resistance compared to the supply path.
2Manufacturing precision
If the flow path resistance of the discharge path is decreased to prevent pressure variation in the manifold, then the weight of ejected liquid droplets becomes consistent, but the liquid supply system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating asymmetric flow path resistance distribution: the discharge path is designed with specifically reduced resistance (larger cross-section or shorter length) compared to the supply path. This localized modification in the discharge path geometry achieves uniform droplet ejection without requiring complex system-wide changes. The filter in the supply path also represents a localized quality adjustment to control flow characteristics.
3Stress or pressure
If a filter is added in the supply path to adjust flow resistance, then the flow path resistance of the supply path becomes larger than the discharge path, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter acts as an intermediary element in the supply path that adjusts the flow resistance. By introducing this intermediate component, the supply path resistance is increased to balance the overall flow characteristics between supply and discharge paths. The filter serves as a mediator that fine-tunes the resistance distribution without requiring major structural changes to the entire system.
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 stabilizes pressure in the manifold, reduces droplet weight variability, and prevents uneven ink application, enabling consistent and high-pressure ink supply to multiple heads with reduced cost and complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a pump unit that is disposed in the supply path and pumps the liquid
Implementation Method 2
a filter that traverses the supply path is preferably disposed in the supply path at a position between the pump unit and the manifold
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid in a manifold as liquid droplets from a nozzle opening; a supply path that supplies the liquid to the manifold; a pump unit that is disposed in the supply path and pumps the liquid; and a discharge path that discharges the liquid from the manifold, wherein a flow path resistance of the discharge path from the manifold is smaller than a flow path resistance of the supply path from the pump unit to the manifold.