Printhead IC Nozzle Array with Inclined Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printheads with pagewidth arrays of nozzles face challenges in seamless transition between adjacent printhead ICs due to manufacturing inaccuracies, leading to artifacts in printed images and issues with ink supply conduit design, such as 'outgassing' bubbles and increased resistance.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an elongate array of nozzles with a first section perpendicular to the feed direction, a second section parallel to it, and an intermediate inclined section, avoiding sharp corners in the supply conduits, and includes temperature sensors and open actuator test circuitry for nozzle management and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple printhead ICs are placed end to end to form a pagewidth array, then the print width coverage is improved, but manufacturing inaccuracies cause misalignment artifacts at IC junctions
Solution Approach 1:
The printhead array is segmented into multiple ICs with overlapping nozzle arrays. Each IC contains a complete set of nozzles, and adjacent ICs are positioned with a longitudinal offset so that the end nozzles of one IC overlap with the start nozzles of the next IC. This segmentation allows each IC to be manufactured independently while ensuring seamless coverage at junctions.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution introduces a longitudinal offset dimension between adjacent ICs. Instead of aligning ICs purely in the transverse direction (perpendicular to paper feed), they are offset along the longitudinal direction (parallel to paper feed). This dimensional change allows the overlapping nozzle arrays to print to different longitudinal positions on the media, eliminating alignment artifacts.
2Manufacturing precision
If the end portion of the nozzle array is displaced further along the paper feed path to eliminate artifacts, then printing seamless transition is improved, but sharp corners are introduced in the ink supply conduits causing outgassing bubbles and increased resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The ink supply conduits are designed with curved transitions instead of sharp corners. The conduits connecting nozzles in the displaced triangular section use smooth curved paths to transition between different orientations, eliminating the sharp 90-degree corners that would trap air bubbles and create flow resistance.
3Reliability
If shorter printhead ICs are used to reduce defect probability, then manufacturing reliability is improved, but more ICs are required to achieve the same print width
Solution Approach 1:
Adjacent ICs are merged through overlapping nozzle arrays with longitudinal offset. The end nozzles of one IC and the start nozzles of the next IC both print to the same transverse position on the media but at different longitudinal positions. This merging approach allows shorter ICs to be used while maintaining reliable, artifact-free seamless printing across the entire pagewidth.
Data Source
AI summary
A printhead IC for an inkjet printer that mounts the printhead IC together with at least one other like printhead IC to provide a pagewidth printhead for printing onto a media substrate fed past the printhead in a feed direction, the printhead IC comprising: an elongate array of nozzles, the nozzles arranged into rows, at least one of the rows having a first section positioned on a line extending perpendicular to the feed direction, a second section positioned along a parallel line displaced from the first section, and an intermediate section of nozzles extending between the first section and the second section; and a supply conduit for providing printing fluid to the first section, the second section and the intermediate section, the supply conduit having a first portion extending perpendicular to the feed direction for supplying the first section of nozzles, a second portion extending perpendicular to the feed direction for supplying the second section of nozzles and an inclined portion for supplying the intermediate section of nozzles.