Tilted Liquid Discharge Head Nozzle Array
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In liquid discharge heads with discharge openings connected through a common liquid channel, the discharge force decreases due to reduced pressure when a shutoff valve is opened to simultaneously discharge liquid through multiple openings.
Innovation Solution
The liquid discharge head is designed with an array of discharge openings where two or more openings are adjacent in an orthogonal direction, and the array is tilted with respect to this direction. This configuration ensures that each nozzle has a unique position in the relative movement direction, preventing simultaneous discharge and maintaining pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If multiple discharge openings are arranged in the same positions in the conveyance direction and communicate through a common liquid channel, then the device complexity is reduced, but the discharge pressure decreases when multiple nozzles discharge simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the arrangement of discharge openings from a single-row configuration (orthogonal to conveyance direction only) to a tilted array configuration that spans both the conveyance direction and the orthogonal direction. This dimensional change ensures that no two discharge openings share the same position in the conveyance direction, preventing simultaneous discharge through the common liquid channel while maintaining a relatively simple channel structure.
2Device complexity
If discharge openings are positioned at the same location in the conveyance direction, then the array configuration is simplified, but the liquid discharge timing cannot be staggered to maintain pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric arrangement of discharge openings by tilting the array relative to the orthogonal direction. This creates unequal positioning of discharge openings along the conveyance direction, ensuring that each nozzle discharges at a different time. The asymmetric configuration naturally staggeres the discharge timing without requiring complex control mechanisms, thereby maintaining discharge pressure reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge head includes: an array of multiple discharge openings from each of which a liquid is to be discharged onto a recording medium moved relative to the liquid discharge head in a relative movement direction; a liquid channel communicating with each of the multiple discharge openings; and a supply opening configured to supply liquid to the liquid channel, wherein two or more discharge openings of the multiple discharge openings in the array are adjacent to each other in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the relative movement direction, the array is arrayed in an array direction tilted with respect to the orthogonal direction.