Offset Nozzle Layout for Accurate Liquid Droplet Landing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid discharge heads face complications in correcting the landing positions of liquid droplets that deviate from target positions due to discharge airflow, leading to issues like white or black streaks on the recording material, and the proposed solutions often result in a complex head structure.
Innovation Solution
The liquid discharge head features nozzles with a nozzle inlet having a larger cross-sectional area than the nozzle outlet, where the center lines of the inlet and outlet are offset in a manner that gradually increases from the center to the ends of the nozzle array, simplifying the structure and correcting landing position deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the center of the first discharge port portion is offset toward the end of the nozzle array to correct landing position deviations, then the liquid droplets can be landed on target positions, but the configuration becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the nozzle configuration between end nozzles and central nozzles. Specifically, the end nozzles have their first discharge port portions offset toward the end of the nozzle array, while central nozzles maintain symmetric alignment. This localized modification corrects landing position deviations only where needed (at the ends) without complicating the entire nozzle array configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetry by intentionally offsetting the first discharge port portion relative to the second discharge port portion in end nozzles. This asymmetric configuration creates an oblique discharge direction that compensates for the airflow-induced deviation toward the center. The asymmetric design is applied selectively to end nozzles rather than uniformly to all nozzles, balancing correction effectiveness with configuration simplicity.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple nozzles at the end region have offset discharge port portions to correct trajectory deviation, then landing position accuracy improves, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the nozzle configuration between end nozzles and central nozzles. Specifically, the end nozzles have their first discharge port portions offset toward the end of the nozzle array, while central nozzles maintain symmetric alignment. This localized modification corrects landing position deviations only where needed (at the ends) without complicating the entire nozzle array configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetry by intentionally offsetting the first discharge port portion relative to the second discharge port portion in end nozzles. This asymmetric configuration creates an oblique discharge direction that compensates for the airflow-induced deviation toward the center. The asymmetric design is applied selectively to end nozzles rather than uniformly to all nozzles, balancing correction effectiveness with configuration simplicity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3B
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A liquid discharge head (3, 4) includes a nozzle substrate (10), an actuator substrate (20), a diaphragm (30), and an actuator element (40). The nozzle substrate (10) has multiple nozzles arrayed in an array direction to discharge a liquid from the multiple nozzles. Each of the multiple nozzles has a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet downstream of the nozzle inlet. The nozzle inlet has a first cross-sectional area and a first center line at a center of the nozzle inlet. The nozzle outlet has a second cross-sectional area and a second center line at a center of the nozzle outlet. The second cross-sectional area is smaller than the first cross-sectional area. The second center line is shifted from the first center line in the array direction for a shift amount that gradually increases from a center of the multiple nozzles toward each end of the multiple nozzles.