Molded Panel Integrating Ejection Die and Integrated Circuit

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current fluid ejection devices in printers face challenges in integrating ejection dies and integrated circuits seamlessly within a molded panel without adhesives, while ensuring efficient fluid communication and electrical connectivity for precise dispensation of printing materials.

Innovation Solution

The integration of ejection dies and integrated circuits into a molded panel, with a fluid communication channel and electrical connections formed through the panel, allowing for the selective dispensation of printing materials and control of temperature and heating elements, using materials like epoxy mold compounds and conductive elements for electrical bonding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If ejection dies and integrated circuits are integrated into a molded panel, then device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is simplified, but ensuring reliable electrical connectivity and fluid communication becomes more challenging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintegration complexityVSAvoidelectrical connectivity reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple components (ejection dies, integrated circuits, fluid distribution channels, and electrical interconnects) into a single molded panel assembly. This merging eliminates the need for separate mounting steps and adhesives, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliable connections through integrated design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary molded panel structure that facilitates both fluid distribution and electrical connectivity. This intermediary component acts as a platform that integrates the ejection dies and integrated circuits, ensuring reliable connections without requiring additional assembly steps or adhesives

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If ejection dies and integrated circuits are integrated into a molded panel, then manufacturing precision is improved through unified structure, but the difficulty of ensuring proper fluid communication channels increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidfluid channel fabrication difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates fluid distribution channels and electrical interconnect structures into the molded panel during the initial molding process. This preliminary action ensures precise alignment and positioning of all components before final assembly, eliminating the need for subsequent alignment steps and ensuring proper fluid communication from the start

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the fabrication of fluid channels, electrical interconnects, and component mounting into a single molding operation. This combining of processes improves manufacturing precision by ensuring all features are created in their correct relative positions, while the unified process actually simplifies manufacturing compared to multiple separate steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If adhesive-free integration is used for ejection dies and integrated circuits, then reliability is improved by eliminating adhesive failure modes, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding reliabilityVSAvoidintegration process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the adhesive layer from the integration process. By designing the molded panel to directly support and connect the ejection dies and integrated circuits without adhesives, the patent removes the failure modes associated with adhesive bonding while actually simplifying the overall process by eliminating adhesive application and curing steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3356146B1Fluid ejection device including integrated circuit
Publication Date: 2024.01.17 HEWLETT PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LP
  • EP3356146B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3356146B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3356146B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Examples include a fluid ejection device comprising a molded panel, an ejection die molded in the molded panel, and an integrated circuit molded in the molded panel. The ejection die comprises ejection nozzles to selectively dispense printing material. The integrated circuit receives nozzle data and controls the selective dispensation of printing material by the ejection nozzles based at least in part on the nozzle data. The molded panel has a fluid communication channel formed therethrough and fluidly connected to the ejection die.