Print Device Sub-Tank Placement for Meniscus Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Print devices face challenges in maintaining printing quality due to uneven head differences between nozzle faces and ink cartridges, leading to potential meniscus destruction and defective ink injection, especially when mount portions are arranged vertically, and the increased number of parts required when sub-tanks are provided on all fluid passages.
Innovation Solution
A print device design with mount portions arranged in the up-down direction, where only some fluid passages include sub-tanks, and a reservoir passage connects a first mount portion to the head with a sub-tank, while a non-reservoir passage connects a second mount portion without a sub-tank, maintaining equal head differences and reducing the number of parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sub-tanks are provided on all fluid passages, then the head differences between nozzle face and sub-tanks become equal and defective injection is reduced, but the number of parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the fluid passage system into two distinct segments: reservoir passages that include sub-tanks for maintaining proper head difference and meniscus formation, and non-reservoir passages that exclude sub-tanks to reduce part count. This segmentation allows selective application of sub-tanks only where necessary for printing quality while avoiding unnecessary complexity in other passages.
2Length of stationary object
If mount portions are arranged in vertical direction, then the length of print device is reduced in horizontal direction, but head differences between nozzle face and mount portions become different and meniscus may be destroyed
Solution Approach 1:
The sub-tank acts as an intermediary component in the reservoir passage, positioned between the mount portion and the nozzle face. It serves as a buffer that maintains the proper head difference and stabilizes the meniscus formation, compensating for the vertical arrangement of mount portions that would otherwise create unequal head differences and disrupt meniscus stability.
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 ensures proper meniscus formation and reduces the likelihood of defective ink injection, while minimizing the number of parts and preventing concentration issues with high precipitationability liquids, thereby enhancing printing quality and device efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the head difference of the liquid based on the position of reservoir and the position of the nozzle face becomes substantially equal to the head difference of the liquid based on the position of the second mount portion and the position of the nozzle face
Implementation Method 2
The nozzle face holds the ink with the meniscus created by the surface tension of the ink
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a print device that can reduce the number of parts and also reduce the possibility of printing quality deterioration. The print device includes a first mount portion, a second mount portion and a head. The first mount portion is located in a first region, and the second mount portion is located in a second region. The second region is a region in which a distance from the nozzle face in the up-down direction is out of a predetermined range, and the first region is a region in which a distance from the nozzle face in the up-down direction is in the predetermined range. The first mount portion is connected to a reservoir passage. The reservoir passage has a sub-tank. The sub-tank is located in the second region. The second mount portion is connected to a non-reservoir passage that has no sub-tank.