Staggered Nozzle Head Chip for Liquid Jet Recording
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid jet recording devices face challenges in improving print image quality due to issues like wood-effect unevenness and local concentration of droplets, which degrade image quality.
Innovation Solution
The configuration of the head chip and liquid jet head, featuring staggered arrangements of nozzle holes and ejection grooves, along with constant flow channel widths and lengths, helps in reducing the local concentration of droplets and maintaining existing structural integrity, thereby enhancing print image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If nozzle holes and ejection grooves are arranged in a staggered configuration, then print image quality is improved by reducing wood-effect unevenness and local droplet concentration, but device complexity increases due to more complex nozzle plate and channel plate structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by arranging nozzle holes and ejection grooves in a staggered configuration where they do not align directly, shifting the interaction from a one-to-one vertical alignment to a distributed spatial arrangement. This staggered layout across multiple dimensions reduces direct droplet concentration while maintaining effective ink delivery, resolving the contradiction between image quality and structural complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If flow channel widths and lengths are kept constant, then manufacturing process is simplified and reliability is enhanced, but print image quality improvement is limited compared to variable geometry designs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by systematically varying the dimensions, positions, and orientations of flow channels, nozzle holes, and ejection grooves to optimize ink flow dynamics and droplet ejection characteristics. These controlled parameter variations enable improved print image quality while maintaining manufacturability through standardized fabrication processes.
3Area of stationary object
If the head chip size is maintained at existing dimensions, then device compactness is preserved, but the staggered arrangement of nozzle holes and ejection grooves requires sufficient space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes dimensionality change by implementing a staggered arrangement that efficiently packs nozzle holes and ejection grooves within the existing head chip footprint. By optimizing the spatial distribution across multiple dimensions rather than simple linear extension, the design accommodates the complex staggered configuration without increasing overall device area.
Data Source
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AI summary
There are provided a head chip and so on capable of improving the print image quality. The head chip according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided with an actuator plate having a plurality of ejection grooves and a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzle holes individually communicated with the plurality of ejection grooves. The plurality of ejection grooves is arranged side by side so as to at least partially overlap each other along a predetermined direction. Further, the nozzle holes adjacent to each other along the predetermined direction out of the plurality of nozzle holes are arranged so as to be shifted from each other along an extending direction of the ejection grooves in the nozzle plate.