Cleaning Device Suction Gap Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning devices for liquid discharge recording apparatuses, such as ink jet printers, face inefficiencies in removing residual deposits from nozzle plates due to suction nozzles sliding over dried and strongly adhered residues, leading to unsuitable suction and poor cleaning results.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device comprising a suction port, guide portion, and urging member, where the suction port maintains a predetermined gap with the nozzle plate and the guide portion is movable to maintain contact with the cover mask, ensuring effective airflow and preventing deposits from being pushed into nozzle holes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a suction nozzle is used to clean the nozzle plate, then residual deposits can be removed through air flow, but when the suction nozzle slides over accumulated residue deposits on the cover mask, a larger gap is left between the suction nozzle and the nozzle plate, causing unsuitable suction and poor cleaning results
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guide portion as an intermediary element that contacts the cover mask to guide and stabilize the suction nozzle's position. This guide portion acts as a mediator between the suction nozzle and the cover mask, ensuring the suction nozzle maintains a stable, predetermined gap from the nozzle plate while the cover mask may have residue deposits. The guide portion transfers the stabilizing function from direct suction nozzle-contact to a dedicated guiding component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the positional parameter of the suction nozzle by introducing a predetermined gap distance from the nozzle plate surface, rather than allowing direct contact or variable gap. This parameter change ensures stable airflow characteristics and consistent cleaning effectiveness. The urging member further maintains this parameter by applying force to keep the guide portion in contact with the cover mask.
2Device complexity
If a wiping blade is used to clean the nozzle plate, then the cleaning process is simple, but residual deposits on the nozzle plate may be pushed into nozzle holes, causing clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wiping action with a pneumatic cleaning mechanism using a suction nozzle that generates air flow to remove residual deposits. This pneumatic approach eliminates the pushing action that could force deposits into nozzle holes, while still achieving effective cleaning through controlled air flow through the suction port.
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 stabilizes the gap between the suction head and nozzle plate, enhancing cleaning performance by maintaining desired airflow for removing residual deposits without clogging the nozzle holes, thus improving the overall cleaning efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The suction nozzle utilizes the flow of air near the surface of the nozzle plate to collect the residual deposits from the surface of the nozzle plate
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a cleaning device comprises a suction port portion, a guide portion, and an urging member. The suction port portion is configured to face a nozzle plate of a liquid discharge head at a predetermined gap distance between the suction port and the nozzle plate. The guide portion is configured to face a cover mask of the liquid discharge head and is moveable in a direction away from the cover mask. The cover mask covers a periphery of a surface of the nozzle plate. The urging member is configured to urge the guide portion toward the cover mask.