Cap Member Air Passage for Inkjet Meniscus Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet recording apparatuses face challenges in maintaining meniscus stability at ink ejection ports due to variations in air pressure when capping or uncapping the recording head, leading to potential clogging and instability in ink ejection.
Innovation Solution
A cap member with a cap portion and support member made of sheet metal, featuring an elastic body with a groove and lid member that defines an air passage, allowing communication between the inner and outer spaces to moderate air pressure changes, preventing meniscus breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cap portion is made of elastic body with high sealability to prevent drying and clogging, then the sealability is improved, but the air pressure variation inside the cap portion causes meniscus breakage
Solution Approach 1:
An air passage is introduced as an intermediary channel between the inner space of the cap portion and the outer environment. This air passage allows air to flow in and out, equalizing pressure without compromising the sealability of the cap portion, thereby preventing meniscus breakage while maintaining reliable sealing
Solution Approach 2:
The cap portion is made of an elastic body that can deform flexibly. This flexibility allows the cap portion to adapt to pressure changes and maintain contact with the ink ejection surface, ensuring sealability while the air passage accommodates pressure equalization to prevent meniscus disruption
2Reliability
If the cap portion is brought into pressure contact with ink ejection surface for capping, then the sealability is improved, but the air pressure change breaks the meniscus
Solution Approach 1:
The air passage serves as a mediator that allows pressure equalization between the capped environment and the outside air. This prevents sudden pressure changes that would otherwise break the meniscus, while still allowing the cap portion to maintain pressure contact for sealing
3Ease of operation
If the cap portion is moved away from ink ejection surface for uncapping, then the operation flexibility is improved, but the air pressure change breaks the meniscus
Solution Approach 1:
The air passage acts as a pressure equalization channel that remains functional during uncapping operations. As the cap portion moves away from the ink ejection surface, air can flow through the passage to equalize pressure, preventing meniscus breakage while maintaining operational flexibility
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 solution effectively stabilizes the meniscus during capping and uncapping operations, preventing ink ejection instability and clogging by maintaining consistent air pressure within the cap member, thus ensuring reliable inkjet performance.
Implementation Method 1
the groove portion and the lid member define an air passage through which air passes. One end portion of the air passage communicates with an inner space of the cap portion, and the other end portion of the air passage communicates with an outside of the cap portion
Implementation Method 2
The cap portion is an elastic body having a bottom surface portion and a side surface portion which is ring-shaped, stands on the bottom surface portion, and contacts the ink ejection surface
Implementation Method 3
An air-ink interface (ink surface) at an ink ejection port is slightly dented due to surface tension to form a meniscus. A meniscus is broken even with a very low pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A cap member includes a cap portion and a support member. The cap portion has a bottom surface portion and a side surface portion. The support member supports the bottom surface portion of the cap member. The bottom surface portion is provided with a groove portion defined by a first rib projecting from an upper surface of the bottom surface portion. A lid member which covers the groove portion is provided on, and in close contact with. an upper end of the first rib. The groove portion and the lid member define an air passage through which air passes. One end portion of the air passage communicates with an inner space of the cap member, and the other end portion of the air passage communicates with an outside of the cap portion.