Blower Unit Airflow Control for Paper Powder Removal in Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing printing apparatuses face issues with paper powder accumulating in the conveyance path, leading to potential ejection failures and reduced sensor accuracy due to airflow causing paper powder to stick to the ejection ports and accumulate in the conveyance path during high-speed printing operations.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus equipped with a conveyance unit, a print head, a blower unit, and a cap member that switches between cap-closed and cap-open states, where the blower unit blows air from the downstream to the printing area during printing and resumes after the cap member switches to the cap-closed state post-printing to prevent paper powder from sticking to the ejection ports and accumulate in the conveyance path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the printing apparatus performs high-speed printing using a line head, then printing speed is improved, but paper powder accumulates in the conveyance path due to conveyance airflow
Solution Approach 1:
The blower unit generates airflow in advance to counteract the conveyance airflow that causes paper powder accumulation. By blowing air from the downstream side toward the upstream side during printing operations, the system creates a opposing flow that prevents paper powder from accumulating in the conveyance path while maintaining high-speed printing performance
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the blower unit blows air during printing operations to remove paper powder, then paper powder accumulation is reduced, but paper powder may stick to the ejection port
Solution Approach 1:
The cap member is switched to the cap-closed state in advance before the blower unit resumes blowing air after printing operations. This preliminary capping action protects the ejection port from paper powder that may be carried by the airflow, ensuring that the ejection port remains functional while still allowing the blower to remove paper powder from the conveyance path
Solution Approach 2:
The cap member acts as an intermediary protective barrier between the blower unit's airflow and the ejection port. By closing the cap before the blower operates, it mediates the potential harmful effect of the airflow on the ejection port while allowing the airflow to continue serving its useful function of removing paper powder from the conveyance path
3Productivity
If paper powder floats in the conveyance path during high-speed printing, then printing speed is maintained, but sensor detection accuracy is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The blower unit creates airflow in advance to counteract the conveyance airflow that causes paper powder to float in the conveyance path. By blowing air from downstream to upstream during printing operations, the system prevents paper powder from floating and accumulating, thereby maintaining both high printing speed and sensor detection accuracy
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
Effectively removes paper powder from the conveyance path while preventing it from sticking to the ejection ports, ensuring continuous operation and maintaining sensor accuracy by reversing airflow after printing to prevent paper powder accumulation.
Implementation Method 1
a blower unit configured to blow air from a downstream of the printing area toward the printing area in the conveyance path
Data Source
AI summary
An object is to remove paper powder from a conveyance path while preventing the paper powder floating in the conveyance path from sticking to an ejection port. The present disclosure is printing apparatus having: a conveyance unit configured to convey a printing medium; a print head having an ejection unit configured to eject a liquid to the printing medium and performing a printing operation; a blower unit configured to blow air from a downstream toward the printing area in the conveyance path during the printing operation; and a cap member switchable between a cap-closed state and a cap-open state, and after the printing operation terminates, the blower unit stops to blow air and the blower unit resumes to blow air after the cap member switches from the cap-open state into the cap-closed state.