Serpentine Heating Element with Trace Rings for Phase Change Ink Printheads
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Solution Overview
Problem
In phase change ink jet imaging devices, non-planar surface topography around ink supply path openings in heaters leads to poor adhesion between heater and adjacent reservoir plates, causing ink leakage and potential printhead performance degradation.
Innovation Solution
A resistance heating element with a serpentine pattern and trace rings around each ink supply path opening is used, ensuring a continuous perimeter and uniform thickness to promote adhesion between the heater and reservoir plates, preventing ink leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heater is used to maintain ink in liquid state, then ink leakage is prevented, but non-planar surface topography around ink supply path openings causes poor adhesion between heater and reservoir plates
Solution Approach 1:
The heater element is designed with different trace patterns in different regions: a serpentine pattern in the bulk heating area and continuous trace rings around ink supply path openings. This local differentiation ensures planar surfaces at critical bonding locations while maintaining heating efficiency in other areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating element is segmented into distinct functional zones: serpentine traces for general heating and separate trace rings for critical sealing areas. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each zone's geometry to serve its specific function.
2Reliability
If adhesive bond is made continuous around ink supply path openings, then ink leakage is prevented, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The trace rings around ink supply path openings are integrated into the same heater element structure as the serpentine heating traces. This merging allows the heater to provide both continuous sealing at critical locations and distributed heating in a single unified component.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides thermal heating through serpentine traces, creates continuous adhesive bonds through trace rings at openings, and maintains planar surfaces for reliable bonding. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate sealing components.
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 solution effectively prevents ink leakage by ensuring a continuous and uniform adhesive bond around ink supply path openings, enhancing the longevity and performance of printheads by maintaining the ink in a liquid state within the reservoirs.
Implementation Method 1
a resistance heating element between the first and the second insulating layers configured to receive electric current and to convert the electric current to heat
Data Source
AI summary
A heater for use in a phase change ink printhead reservoir is provided that includes a first insulating layer having at least one ink supply path opening, and a second insulating layer having at least one ink supply path opening that aligns with the at least one ink supply path opening in the first insulating layer. The heater includes a resistance heating trace arranged in a serpentine pattern between the first and the second insulating layers. The resistance heating trace is configured to receive electric current and to convert the electric current to heat. The resistance heating trace includes a trace ring for each ink supply path opening in the first and second insulating layers that forms a continuous perimeter around the corresponding ink supply path opening.