Metal-Base Drive Circuit Substrate for Inkjet Head Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of nozzles in ink jet printers leads to higher current output from drive circuits, resulting in increased heat generation, which can cause characteristic deterioration and malfunction due to inefficient heat release.
Innovation Solution
The use of a drive circuit substrate with a metal base material having excellent thermal conductivity, such as copper, to efficiently disperse and release heat generated by the amplified modulation signal and drive signal, reducing the risk of component deterioration and malfunction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the number of nozzles is increased to improve print quality and printing speed, then productivity is improved, but heat generation increases causing reliability deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful heat generated by the drive circuit into a beneficial effect by using it to drive a fan for active cooling. The fan is positioned to blow air across the drive circuit substrate, creating forced convection that efficiently removes heat from the high-power amplifier components, thereby preventing reliability deterioration while maintaining high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition of air from still state to moving state through fan-driven forced convection. The moving air flow transitions from natural convection to forced convection regime, significantly enhancing heat transfer coefficients and improving the drive circuit's thermal management capability
2Use of energy by moving object
If a class D amplifier circuit is used to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but heat generation increases causing characteristic deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces air as an intermediary cooling medium between the heat-generating drive circuit and the surrounding environment. The fan-driven air flow acts as a thermal intermediary that absorbs heat from the amplifier components through forced convection, preventing temperature rise that would cause characteristic deterioration while maintaining the energy-efficient class D amplifier operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces passive thermal management (reliance on natural convection and radiation) with an active mechanical cooling system using a fan. This mechanical intervention enables controlled forced convection, providing reliable heat removal from the drive circuit even when high current is supplied to multiple nozzles
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 effectively reduces the likelihood of characteristic deterioration and malfunction in the drive circuit by efficiently releasing heat, thereby improving the reliability and performance of the ink jet printer.
Implementation Method 1
a drive circuit substrate with a metal base material having excellent thermal conductivity, such as copper, to efficiently disperse and release heat generated by the amplified modulation signal and drive signal
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejection head including a drive element, where the liquid ejection head ejects a liquid by a supply of a drive signal to the drive element, and a drive circuit that outputs the drive signal, wherein the drive circuit includes a modulation circuit, an amplifier circuit, a demodulation circuit, and a substrate on which the modulation circuit, the amplifier circuit, and the demodulation circuit are provided, wherein the substrate includes a base material and a first layer laminated on a first face of the base material, wherein the base material includes a metal, wherein the first layer includes a first propagation wire through which at least one of the amplified modulation signal and the drive signal propagates, and wherein the base material has a thickness greater than a thickness of the first layer.