Piezoelectric Body Formation Temperature Control for Liquid Discharge Head

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for manufacturing liquid discharge heads with piezoelectric bodies face challenges in ensuring sufficient vibration without warping the substrate, leading to variations in nozzle shape and discharge characteristics.

Innovation Solution

A method of manufacturing a liquid discharge head involving the formation of a piezoelectric body on a substrate at a controlled temperature of 450°C to 600°C to prevent warping, followed by forming nozzle orifices, which ensures consistent discharge characteristics by maintaining substrate stability during the process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If the piezoelectric body is formed at high temperature to increase piezoelectric multiplier and obtain large displacement, then vibration is ensured, but the substrate becomes warped causing variation in nozzle shape and discharge characteristics

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovevibrationVSAvoidnozzle shape consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the formation temperature of the piezoelectric body to a specific range (450-600°C) rather than using excessively high temperatures. This temperature parameter optimization allows achieving sufficient piezoelectric multiplier and vibration while preventing substrate warpage, thus resolving the contradiction between vibration strength and nozzle shape consistency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If conventional high temperature manufacturing method is used to ensure sufficient vibration, then piezoelectric multiplier increases, but substrate warpage occurs leading to discharge characteristic variations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration sufficiencyVSAvoiddischarge characteristic uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the temperature parameter from conventional high temperature to a controlled range of 450-600°C for piezoelectric body formation. This parameter modification enables achieving reliable vibration performance while maintaining discharge characteristic uniformity across all nozzles, eliminating the trade-off between reliability and precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 approach effectively restrains variations in discharge characteristics such as droplet amount, speed, and landing position accuracy, enhancing the quality of the image produced by the liquid discharge head.

Implementation Method 1

a liquid discharge head that vibrates a nozzle plate having a substrate and a piezoelectric body to discharge liquid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPiezoelectric effect: Piezoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentEP3851284B1Method of manufacturing liquid discharge head and method of manufacturing liquid discharge apparatus
Publication Date: 2023.07.12 RICOH CO LTD
  • EP3851284B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2C
  • EP3851284B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3C
  • EP3851284B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4C

AI summary

There is provided a method of manufacturing a liquid discharge head (100) to vibrate a nozzle plate (1) including a substrate (81) and a piezoelectric body (82) to discharge liquid. The method includes forming the piezoelectric body (82) on the substrate (81) at 450°C to 600°C and forming a nozzle orifice (4) penetrating through the substrate (81) and the piezoelectric body (82).