Ceramic Hydraulic Distributor for Inkjet Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial inkjet printers, particularly continuous inkjet (CIJ) printers, face challenges with bulky, expensive, and complex solenoid valves that are difficult to repair and maintain, leading to pressure loss issues and high costs.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic distributor with planar surfaces made of materials like glass, ceramic, or stainless steel, featuring ducts and channels that allow fluid flow control through mechanical movement, eliminating the need for gaskets and providing robustness and efficient fluid management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If solenoid valves are used for fluid control in inkjet printers, then reliable fluid distribution is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The distributor is divided into a first portion with through ducts and a second portion with channels, where the relative movement between these segmented portions controls fluid distribution. This segmentation replaces complex solenoid valves with simpler mechanical segments that can be moved independently to control flow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The distributor employs dynamic relative movement between the first and second portions to control fluid flow distribution. By moving these portions relative to each other, different ducts and channels are connected or disconnected, enabling dynamic fluid control without complex valving mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If solenoid valves are used for ink flow control, then precise fluid management is achieved, but pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the intermediate valve components from the fluid path. By using direct connection between ducts and channels through relative movement of portions, the fluid path is shortened and simplified, removing the pressure-dropping elements associated with traditional solenoid valves.
Solution Approach 2:
The distributor is designed with pre-configured ducts and channels in specific positions. By moving the portions to predetermined positions, the desired fluid connections are established in advance, ensuring precise fluid management while maintaining optimal flow conditions with minimal pressure loss.
3Adaptability or versatility
If solenoid valves are used in inkjet printers, then fluid control functionality is achieved, but repairability and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a simplified mechanical copy of the fluid control function. Instead of complex electromagnetic solenoid valves, it uses basic mechanical movement of portions with ducts and channels, which can be easily replicated, understood, and repaired with fundamental mechanical knowledge.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than using complex active components (solenoid valves) to control fluid, the invention inverts the approach by using passive geometric features (ducts and channels in different positions) that are activated through simple relative movement. This inversion makes the system more repairable while maintaining full fluid control functionality.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional valves are replaced with a hydraulic distributor, then cost is reduced, but ensuring robust fluid sealing becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the sealing function directly into the contact interface between the first portion's outer surface and the second portion's surface. By combining the structural components with the sealing function at their mating surfaces, robust fluid sealing is achieved without requiring separate expensive sealing components, reducing overall manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The distributor portions are made from materials such as glass, ceramic, or stainless steel that inherently provide both structural integrity and sealing capability. These composite or multi-functional materials ensure robust fluid sealing while being cost-effective and manufacturable.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1E
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~4
AI summary
The invention concerns a hydraulic distributor for an ink-jet printer, comprising: - a first portion (2), comprising at least one 1st planar surface (4), a second portion (8, 108), comprising at least one 2nd planar surface (10), both planar surfaces being in friction contact with each other; - at least one 1st conduct (6) in said 1st portion, each comprising a 1st opening in said 1st planar surface; - at least one channel (12) extending in said second portion (8, 108), to conduct a fluid in a direction substantially parallel to said 2nd planar surface; - at least one 2nd conduct in one of said portions, comprising a 2nd opening in said 1st planar surface or in said 2nd planar surface or in said at least one channel; - means for moving both portions with respect to each other.