Liquid Ejecting Head Reservoir Suction for Preferential Bubble Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting devices face issues with uneven bubble distribution among reservoir portions, leading to potential wasteful consumption of liquid when bubbles are ejected from one reservoir while liquid is ejected from another.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates a head with nozzles, supply channels, reservoir portions, discharging channels, and a suctioning portion with resistance portions to manage bubble ejection, using a maintenance unit with a suctioning portion to apply negative pressure through discharging channels with larger pressure loss, ensuring preferential suction of bubbles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple reservoir portions are suctioned simultaneously to eject bubbles, then bubble ejection efficiency is improved, but liquid wastage increases due to uneven bubble distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the suction system into separate suction channels, each dedicated to a specific reservoir portion. This segmentation allows independent control of suction for each reservoir, enabling selective bubble ejection only from reservoirs that actually contain bubbles, thereby preventing liquid wastage from reservoirs that are already bubble-free
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces resistance portions with different resistance values in different suction channels. By locally adjusting the resistance characteristics of each suction channel according to the specific needs of each reservoir portion, the system optimizes the suction flow distribution to match the actual bubble distribution across reservoirs
2Speed
If suction pressure is increased to eject bubbles faster, then bubble ejection speed is improved, but liquid ejection from reservoir portions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the resistance parameter of the suction channels by introducing resistance portions with specific resistance values. This parameter adjustment allows the system to control the suction flow rate, maintaining enough negative pressure to eject bubbles efficiently while limiting the maximum liquid ejection volume through the resistance constraint
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 effectively reduces the risk of liquid wastage by preferentially suctioning bubbles, maintaining efficient liquid usage and minimizing unintended liquid ejection.
Implementation Method 1
a suctioning portion configured to apply a negative pressure to the plurality of discharging channels
Implementation Method 2
Each of the plurality of discharging channels includes a resistance portion with a larger pressure loss than a corresponding supply channel of the plurality of supply channels
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting device includes a head including a nozzle and configured to eject, from the nozzle, liquid supplied from a plurality of supply sources, a plurality of supply channels coupled to the plurality of supply sources and the head, a plurality of reservoir portions located respectively at the plurality of supply channels, each of the plurality of reservoir portions including a storage chamber configured to store the liquid supplied from the plurality of supply sources, a plurality of discharging channels respectively coupled to the plurality of reservoir portions, and each configured to eject a bubble from the plurality of storage chambers, and a suctioning portion configured to apply a negative pressure to the plurality of discharging channels. Each of the plurality of discharging channels includes a resistance portion with a larger pressure loss than a corresponding supply channel of the plurality of supply channels.