Inkjet Printhead Wiring Region Reduction via Shift Register Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet printheads require a large number of control terminals to increase printing resolution and speed, leading to increased size and manufacturing costs due to the expansion of the wiring region on the inkjet chip.
Innovation Solution
The inkjet printhead structure incorporates an interlaced arrangement of heating elements and a dual inkjet unit assembly within the inkjet chip, allowing for control with fewer control contacts and reducing the wiring region to less than 82% of the total chip area, enabling higher printing resolution and cost-effective manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the quantity of heating elements is increased to improve printing resolution and speed, then printing resolution and speed are improved, but the number of control terminals and wiring region area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple heating element controls into a single control terminal by using a shift register circuit. The shift register receives serial control signals and distributes them to multiple heating elements sequentially, allowing one control terminal to manage N heating elements. This merging approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining high printing speed through multiple heating elements while avoiding the proportional increase in control terminals and wiring region area.
Solution Approach 2:
The control terminal is given multi-functionality through the shift register mechanism, enabling a single terminal to control multiple heating elements at different time slots. This universal control approach allows the system to achieve high printing resolution with multiple heating elements without requiring each element to have its own dedicated control terminal, thus reducing the wiring region area.
2Manufacturing precision
If the number of control terminals is increased to control each heating element, then heating control precision is improved, but the inkjet chip area and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple control functions into a single control terminal using a shift register circuit. The shift register maintains control signals for multiple heating elements within its storage units, allowing one terminal to sequentially control N heating elements with precise timing. This approach maintains heating control precision while significantly reducing the number of control terminals needed, thereby lowering manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temporal parameter of control signals by using sequential activation through the shift register. Instead of simultaneous control requiring multiple terminals, the system uses time-multiplexed control where each heating element is activated in sequence. This parameter change allows precise control of multiple heating elements with a single terminal, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
3Area of stationary object
If C-MOS control method is used to reduce inkjet chip area, then chip area is reduced, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a simpler, more cost-effective control circuit design using basic digital logic components (shift register, AND gates, inverters) instead of expensive C-MOS technology. The control terminal circuit uses readily available, low-cost components that can be easily manufactured, providing a budget-friendly alternative to C-MOS while still achieving compact chip area through efficient circuit integration.
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 achieves high printing resolution and speed while minimizing the size of the inkjet chip and reducing manufacturing costs by efficiently utilizing the chip area and controlling the heating elements with a reduced number of contacts.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element 10 is connected in-between a driving control terminal 11 and a switch element 12, and receives a voltage signal P from the driving control terminal 11
Implementation Method 2
the heating element 10 stops heating process. Therefore, the ink-jetting cannot be achieved
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention related to an inkjet printhead, adaptive for an ink cartridge including one ink-supplying tank, the inkjet printhead includes: a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles; and an inkjet chip for controlling ink jetting and having a total area region having a length and a width, the total area region including: a non-wiring region for installing one single ink-supplying flow channels; and a wiring region for installing an internal circuit including a plurality inkjet unit assembly, each inkjet unit of the inkjet unit assembly including a heater installed correspondingly to the nozzle; wherein an area of the wiring region of the inkjet chip is or less than 82% of a total area of the inkjet chip.