Adjustable Vacuum Conveyor for Inkjet Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum conveyor systems for inkjet printing face inefficiencies due to leakage areas when handling substrates of varying widths and lengths, leading to reduced vacuum pressure and flattening performance, which is costly and complex to address.
Innovation Solution
A printing system with an adjustable vacuum conveyor that uses actuators to dynamically control the vacuum chamber cover openings, allowing for a variable active area to match substrate sizes, reducing leakage and improving efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If the vacuum conveyor uses a fixed vacuum table area, then the system structure is simple, but vacuum pressure is insufficient when handling small substrates due to leakage area
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum table is divided into multiple independently controllable vacuum zones along the conveyance direction. Each zone can be selectively activated or deactivated based on substrate size, allowing the system to maintain high vacuum pressure for small substrates by limiting active vacuum areas while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the vacuum conveyor accommodates varying substrate sizes, then adaptability is improved, but leakage area increases reducing vacuum efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the active vacuum table area by selectively activating individual vacuum zones based on detected substrate size. This dynamic adaptation allows the conveyor to maintain high vacuum efficiency across varying substrate dimensions without incurring energy losses from vacuuming unnecessary empty areas.
3Manufacturing precision
If the vacuum conveyor maintains high vacuum pressure for small substrates, then substrate flattening performance is improved, but system complexity increases to control variable active area
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors to detect substrate presence and size, providing feedback that automatically controls which vacuum zones are activated. This feedback mechanism ensures optimal vacuum pressure and substrate flattening performance while simplifying control complexity through automated decision-making rather than manual or complex control systems.
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 system enhances substrate flattening and image printing quality by minimizing vacuum leakage and reducing the complexity and cost of actuator control, enabling efficient operation with varying substrate sizes.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum source configured to apply vacuum to the media through one or more of the openings that are open
Data Source
AI summary
A printing system includes a driving belt configured to drive media through the printing system relative to one or more print heads and a vacuum conveyor system. The vacuum conveyor system includes a vacuum chamber cover having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, as well as a plurality of slots through the cover that form openings from the first surface to the second surface. A seal, disposed within and extending along at least a portion of a length of a respective slot, is drivable to open or close the respective slot. A vacuum chamber below the second surface of the vacuum chamber cover is configured to apply a vacuum to the media through the plurality of slots. The applied vacuum constrains the media on the driving belt by flattening it against the driving belt.