Overlapping Droplet Ejection Heads for Uniform Color
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Solution Overview
Problem
Droplet ejection apparatuses face challenges in manufacturing high-quality panels for image display apparatuses due to color heterogeneity caused by variations in the amount of liquid material ejected by different heads, leading to uneven color distribution on the panel surface.
Innovation Solution
A head unit configuration where multiple droplet ejection heads with overlapping nozzle arrays are arranged parallel to each other, allowing droplets to be ejected onto a single ejection region, which compensates for variations in ejection amounts by averaging the liquid material distribution, preventing color heterogeneity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple droplet ejection heads are used to increase ejection width, then productivity is improved, but color heterogeneity occurs due to variations in ejection amounts among heads
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple droplet ejection heads are arranged in an overlapping configuration where their nozzle arrays partially overlap, merging their ejection regions to cover a wider area while maintaining uniform liquid material distribution through the overlap zone
Solution Approach 2:
The arrangement parameters of multiple droplet ejection heads are optimized so that their nozzle arrays overlap by a specific distance, changing the spatial parameters to achieve both wide coverage and uniform ejection amounts across the panel surface
2Manufacturing precision
If droplet ejection heads are arranged to cover the entire panel width, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of simply increasing the number of droplet ejection heads in a linear arrangement, the invention utilizes the overlapping dimension where nozzle arrays from different heads overlap spatially, achieving comprehensive coverage with a more efficient configuration that reduces overall device complexity
3Device complexity
If a single droplet ejection head is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases due to limited ejection width
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple droplet ejection heads are merged into a single head unit with overlapping nozzle arrays, allowing the system to maintain a relatively simple integrated structure while achieving wide ejection coverage and high productivity through the combined operation of multiple heads
Data Source
AI summary
A head unit 103 for use in a droplet ejection apparatus is provided with a plurality of droplet ejection heads for ejecting one or more kind of liquid material of a predetermined color onto a base in the form of droplets. Each of the droplet ejection heads includes at least one nozzle array constituted from a plurality of nozzles linearly aligned. The liquid material is adapted to be ejected through the plurality of nozzles of the plurality of droplet ejection heads in the form of droplets. The plurality of droplet ejection heads for ejecting the liquid material of the same color are arranged so that the nozzle arrays of the plurality of droplet ejection heads are parallel to each other in a first direction and each of the plurality of droplet ejection heads partially overlaps at least one of the other droplet ejection heads when viewed from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. All the plurality of droplet ejection heads for ejecting the liquid material of the same color which are partially overlapped each other eject the liquid material onto a predetermined region of the base in the form of droplets.