Bellows Pump Ridge Fold Angle for Bubble Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ink jet recording apparatuses face issues with bubble generation in the ink path due to temperature changes or air penetration, leading to blocked ink flow and poor jetting, even when using a bellows pump as the ink feeding mechanism.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a bellows pump with a specific angle configuration in its ridge fold portion, where the upper inclined plane is steeper than the lower inclined plane, facilitating bubble rise and discharge from the bellows body into the ink path, ensuring efficient ink flow and bubble removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a bellows pump is used as the ink feeding mechanism, then ink flow is enabled, but bubbles are generated in the ink path leading to blocked ink flow and poor jetting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of bubbles into a beneficial one by designing the bellows pump to actively discharge bubbles. The ridge fold portion with specific angle relationships (0°≤α<β<90°) creates a bubble discharge path that utilizes the bellows expansion motion to push bubbles out of the ink path through the bubble discharge hole, transforming the bubble generation problem into a bubble removal solution that maintains continuous reliable ink flow
2Productivity
If the bellows body expands and contracts to generate pumping pressure, then ink is fed through the ink path, but bubbles grow and block the ink flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by designing the bellows pump to discharge bubbles before they can grow large enough to block the ink path. The ridge fold portion structure with angles 0°≤α<β<90° creates a preferential path that guides bubbles to the bubble discharge hole during each expansion cycle, removing them proactively before they become harmful obstacles to ink flow
3Stability of the object's composition
If gas dissolved in ink appears as bubbles due to temperature change, then ink flow is disrupted, but no mechanism exists to remove these bubbles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses temperature-induced bubble formation by designing the bellows pump to convert thermal expansion effects into beneficial bubble discharge. As temperature changes cause bubbles to form and expand, the bellows expansion motion actively pushes these thermally-generated bubbles out through the ridge fold portion and bubble discharge hole, transforming thermal instability into an opportunity for bubble removal
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
This configuration effectively prevents bubble growth and ensures reliable ink feeding by discharging bubbles before they obstruct the ink flow, maintaining consistent ink jetting performance.
Implementation Method 1
The bellows pump generates pumping pressure by deforming a bellows-shaped tubular body to expand and contract
Implementation Method 2
the upper surface from a bend corner inside the ridge fold portion of the bellows body with respect to a horizontal direction and an angle b formed downward by a lower surface from the bent corner inside the ridge fold portion with respect to a horizontal direction have the relation of 0°≤angle b<angle a<90°. By doing so, bubbles in the bellows body are discharged into the ink path
Data Source
AI summary
An ink feeding apparatus including an ink tube enabling ink to flow between an ink tank and an image recording unit, and an ink feeding mechanism having a bellows pump interposed in the ink tube. The bellows pump includes a bellows body whose internal volume changes by expanding and contracting in a substantially vertical direction, and a connection port provided above the bellows body to connect the bellows body and the ink tube. An angle a formed upward by an upper surface inside a ridge fold portion of the bellows body with respect to a substantially horizontal direction and an angle b formed downward by an lower surface inside a ridge fold portion with respect to a substantially horizontal direction are related as 0°≦̸angle b<angle a<90°. Therefore, bubbles in the bellows pump are discharged swiftly and reliably.