Carriage Beam Lubrication Roller for Controlled Printhead Motion

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing printing and scanning devices face challenges in maintaining the integrity and quality of carriage movement due to friction and wear, leading to potential over-lubrication issues that can affect print quality and carriage performance.

Innovation Solution

A carriage arrangement with a lubrication roller having alternating lubricating and non-lubricating sections, where the carriage contacts the roller to rotate and modify the angular positions of these sections, ensuring controlled lubrication and reducing the risk of over-lubrication, utilizing a ratchet mechanism for unidirectional rotation and capillary lubricant delivery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If continuous lubrication is applied to the carriage beam, then friction and wear are reduced, but over-lubrication occurs affecting print quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarriage movement integrityVSAvoidover-lubrication affecting print quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lubrication roller is segmented into lubricating sections and non-lubricating sections along its circumference. This segmentation allows the roller to selectively apply lubricant to the carriage beam only at specific locations, preventing over-lubrication while maintaining adequate lubrication for reliable carriage movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the lubrication roller have different surface properties - some sections are lubricating while others are non-lubricating. This local quality differentiation ensures that lubricant is applied only where necessary, reducing friction and wear without causing over-lubrication that would affect print quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Force

If lubricant is continuously applied to the carriage beam, then friction is reduced, but lubricant accumulates and degrades print quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefriction between carriage and beamVSAvoidlubricant accumulation on print media

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lubrication roller provides periodic lubrication through its rotating structure with alternating lubricating and non-lubricating sections. As the roller rotates, it periodically contacts the carriage beam, delivering lubricant in controlled intervals rather than continuously, which prevents lubricant accumulation on the print media.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful aspect of continuous lubrication (excessive lubricant application) is extracted by removing the continuous lubricating surface from the roller. Only the necessary lubricating sections remain, extracting the harmful over-lubrication while retaining the beneficial friction reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If a simple lubrication mechanism is used, then device complexity is low, but precise control of lubrication amount is difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelubrication control mechanismVSAvoidlubricant application precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The lubrication system uses a rotating roller with fixed lubricating and non-lubricating sections, creating a dynamic lubrication pattern. The rotation of the roller naturally controls the timing and location of lubricant application, providing precise control without requiring complex control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 effectively lubricates the carriage beam while minimizing over-lubrication, ensuring smooth carriage movement and maintaining print quality by applying lubricant only when necessary, thus extending the lifespan of the carriage and improving operational efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

the carriage is to contact the outer surface as it moves passed the lubrication roller and wherein the contact causes a rotation of the roller

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

capillary lubricant delivery

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Data Source

PatentUS12157323B2Lubrication for carriage beam arrangements

Publication Date: 2024.12.03 HP PRINTING & COMPUTING SOLUTIONS S L U

AI summary

It is hereby disclosed a carriage arrangement for lubricating a carriage, wherein the arrangement comprises: a carriage; a carriage beam; a drive mechanism to move the carriage along a longitudinal direction of the carriage beam; and a lubrication roller at a fixed position relative to the carriage beam, the lubrication roller having an outer surface with a non-lubricating section and a lubricating section each at a determined angular position; wherein the carriage is to contact the outer surface as it moves passed the lubrication roller and wherein the contact causes a rotation of the roller that modifies the angular positions of the lubricating section and the non-lubricating section.