Rigid Bent Substrate Fluidic Die Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluidic dies face challenges with ink compatibility issues, difficulty in attaching smaller dies to carriers, and increased manufacturing complexity and cost, particularly due to outdated gang-bonding methods and material degradation from ink exposure.
Innovation Solution
A fluidic die assembly with a rigid substrate featuring a 90-degree bend, where the fluidic die and electrical interface are disposed on opposite sides of the bend, allowing for a robust and cost-effective manufacturing process that accommodates smaller dies and avoids ink compatibility issues, using materials like thermoplastic or thermoset plastics for the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If gang-bonding methods are used to attach fluidic dies to carriers, then larger dies can be attached, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase, and smaller dies become difficult to attach
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is divided into multiple carrier sites, each capable of independently supporting and attaching to a single fluidic die. This segmentation allows simpler attachment mechanisms compared to gang-bonding, enables attachment of smaller dies individually, and reduces overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining ease of manufacture.
2Reliability
If traditional carrier materials are used, then attachment is possible, but ink exposure causes material degradation
Solution Approach 1:
A protective coating is applied to the carrier surface to act as an intermediary layer between the ink and the carrier material. This coating prevents direct contact and chemical degradation from ink exposure, while still allowing the carrier to fulfill its attachment function, thereby improving material stability without compromising reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If larger fluidic dies are used, then attachment to carrier is easier, but the system becomes less adaptable to smaller die sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is segmented into multiple independent carrier sites of varying sizes, allowing the system to accommodate different fluidic die sizes. Each carrier site can be optimized for specific die dimensions, enabling easy attachment across various die sizes while maintaining adaptability to both large and small dies.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the carrier are designed with locally optimized properties for specific die sizes. The carrier sites have varying dimensions and attachment characteristics tailored to match specific fluidic die sizes, thereby improving both attachment ease and adaptability across different die configurations.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C
AI summary
In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a fluidic die assembly is described. The fluidic die assembly includes a rigid substrate having a bend therein. A fluidic die is disposed on the rigid substrate. The fluidic die is to eject fluid from a reservoir fluidly coupled to the fluidic die. The fluidic die includes an array of ejection subassemblies. Each ejection subassembly includes an ejection chamber to hold a volume of fluid, an opening, and a fluid actuator to eject a portion of the volume of fluid through the opening. The fluidic die assembly also includes an electrical interface disposed on the rigid substrate to establish an electrical connection between the fluidic die and a controller. The fluidic die and the electrical interface are disposed on a same surface on opposite sides of the bend.