Independently Biased Wiper Rollers for Print Head Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing print device maintenance systems often fail to effectively clean print heads, leading to trapped air in nozzle firing chambers, which disables nozzles and reduces printing efficiency due to a lack of adaptive wiping mechanisms that can apply independent bias forces to each die on the print head.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a wiper system with independently biased rollers and carriers that apply adaptive bias forces to a web wipe, allowing it to conform to the print head surface and provide individualized wiping forces to each die, thereby reducing air entrapment and nozzle disablement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional wiper system is used, then the structure is simple, but the wiping force is not adaptive to the print head surface, causing air to be trapped in nozzle firing chambers
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper system is divided into multiple independently biased rollers (first roller, second roller, third roller) that can be individually adjusted to contact different regions of the print head. Each roller can be independently positioned and biased, allowing selective application of wiping force to specific areas of the print head surface, thereby adapting to surface variations without requiring a completely complex redesign of the entire wiper system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs spring bias members that provide dynamic, adjustable bias forces to each roller. The bias members allow the rollers to automatically adjust their contact pressure with the print head surface based on the local surface geometry, enabling adaptive wiping without manual intervention. This dynamic adjustment capability resolves the contradiction by providing reliable adaptive wiping while maintaining relatively simple spring-based mechanics.
2Reliability
If independent bias forces are applied to each die on the print head, then air entrapment is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to multiple biased members
Solution Approach 1:
The print head surface is segmented into multiple regions corresponding to different dies, with each region serviced by a dedicated roller. The first roller services a first region, the second roller services a second region, and the third roller services a third region. This segmentation allows independent bias forces to be applied to each die region without requiring a single complex multi-functional mechanism, thereby reducing air entrapment while keeping each bias member relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
Each roller is equipped with its own spring bias member that provides a locally optimized bias force tailored to the specific requirements of its assigned region. The bias forces can be independently adjusted for each roller, allowing the system to provide appropriate wiping pressure for each die without uniformly increasing complexity across the entire system. This local quality approach ensures reliable nozzle functionality while managing device complexity through modular design.
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 solution enhances the maintenance routine by reducing the number of nozzles disabled by trapped air, improving the overall efficiency and reliability of the print device by ensuring proper cleaning of each die on the print head.
Implementation Method 1
a spring biased roller
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of independently biased members... provide independent forces on the web wipe
Data Source
AI summary
In an example, a print apparatus may include a print head assembly and a maintenance cartridge. An example maintenance cartridge may include a wiper system. An example wiper system may include a web wipe and a plurality of independently biased members adjacent each other with respect to a width of the web wipe. Another example wiper system may include a plurality of bias members, a plurality of carriers coupled to the plurality of bias members, and a plurality of rollers coupled to the plurality of carriers and located along a width of a wiping area.