Liquid Discharge Head Recessed Vibrating Plate for Lower Compliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid discharge heads face challenges in maintaining energy conversion efficiency due to increased deformation and compliance of the vibrating plate, particularly in densely arranged discharge ports, which affects the ability to convert in-plane forces into out-of-plane deformation effectively.
Innovation Solution
A liquid discharge head design featuring a vibrating plate with a recessed portion surrounded by a bottom surface and four lateral surfaces, penetrating through multiple layers, which enhances the energy conversion efficiency by optimizing the deformation and compliance of the vibrating plate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the vibrating plate is made thin in the region overlapping with the liquid chamber to increase deformation amount, then the inner volume change amount increases, but the compliance also increases which degrades energy conversion efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a recessed portion only in specific regions of the vibrating plate (first and second regions) while maintaining different thickness characteristics in different areas. The first region has a first thickness and the second region has a second thickness different from the first, allowing localized deformation control. This enables the vibrating plate to achieve sufficient volume change in the liquid chamber region while maintaining overall structural rigidity to prevent excessive compliance and preserve energy conversion efficiency.
2Productivity
If discharge ports are densely arranged to increase image definition and recording speed, then productivity improves, but the liquid chamber inner volume decreases requiring larger vibrating plate displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses this contradiction by creating localized recessed portions in specific regions of the vibrating plate rather than uniformly thinning the entire plate. The first region extends in the first direction and the second region extends in the second direction, with each region having controlled thickness variations. This localized approach allows the vibrating plate to achieve sufficient displacement for densely arranged discharge ports while maintaining structural integrity and avoiding excessive compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dimensional variation by creating recessed portions that extend in different directions (first direction and second direction) within the vibrating plate. This multi-directional approach to creating thickness variations allows for optimized deformation characteristics in multiple axes, enabling sufficient volume change despite the reduced liquid chamber volume from densely arranged discharge ports.
3Force
If the recessed portion is wider than the liquid chamber to maximize deformation, then the deformation amount increases, but the compliance increases causing improper force conversion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precisely controls the lateral extent of recessed portions by defining first and second regions with specific thickness characteristics. The recessed portions are created only in these defined regions rather than across the entire vibrating plate width. This localized approach ensures that deformation is concentrated where needed while maintaining structural rigidity in other areas, preventing excessive compliance and ensuring proper force conversion from the piezoelectric element to the vibrating plate.
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
The design improves the conversion efficiency of the vibrating plate by increasing the volume change amount per unit voltage while reducing compliance, thereby enhancing the liquid discharge performance.
Implementation Method 1
a mechanism is known that uses a piezoelectric element to discharge a liquid. When the piezoelectric element is applied with a voltage, the vibrating plate is deformed, the liquid chamber is contracted, and the liquid is discharged
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge head includes a discharge port to discharge a liquid, and a liquid chamber to communicate with the discharge port, and further includes a vibrating plate, and a piezoelectric element. The vibrating plate is disposed on a surface of the liquid chamber on a side facing a surface communicating with the discharge port, and includes a plurality of layers stacked in a layered structure. The piezoelectric element is disposed on a second surface of the vibrating plate being a back surface of a first surface of the vibrating plate in contact with the liquid chamber. The vibrating plate has a recessed portion surrounded by a bottom surface and four lateral surfaces intersecting with the bottom surface on the first surface. The recessed portion penetrates through a first layer having the first surface among the plurality of layers of the vibrating plates.