Compact Pump Tube Design for Low-Noise High Suction Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet printing apparatuses face challenges in increasing suction pressure for print heads with many nozzles without increasing noise or making the pump tubes too rigid, which complicates their arrangement near each other, leading to potential collisions and noise issues during rotation.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a compact pump tube system with first and second pump tubes, a guide member, and a pump roller that allows for differential coupling positions, enabling the tubes to be arranged near each other while maintaining low noise levels by ensuring the pump rollers can contact both tubes during rotation, thus preventing collisions and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If the inner diameter of the pump tube is increased to raise suction pressure, then the suction pressure is improved, but the pump tube becomes too rigid and cannot be arranged near each other
Solution Approach 1:
The pump tube has different wall thicknesses at different locations: the first section (introduction portion) has a first wall thickness, while the second section has a second wall thickness that is different from the first. This local variation in quality allows the tube to be flexible enough for arrangement near other tubes while maintaining sufficient rigidity in specific sections to raise suction pressure when pressed by rollers
2Stress or pressure
If the rotational speed of the roller holder is increased to raise suction pressure, then the suction pressure is improved, but the noise of the driving source is increased
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing rotational speed to raise suction pressure, the invention changes the geometric parameters of the pump tube (inner diameter, wall thickness distribution) to achieve higher suction pressure at lower rotational speeds, thereby reducing noise from the driving source
3Volume of moving object
If the two pump tubes are arranged near each other in the introduction portions, then the apparatus is compact, but the rollers may collide with the pump base or groove causing noise
Solution Approach 1:
The pump tube has different wall thicknesses at different locations: the first section (introduction portion) has a first wall thickness, while the second section has a second wall thickness that is different from the first. This local variation allows the tube to maintain flexibility in the introduction portion for compact arrangement while having sufficient rigidity in the pressed section to prevent roller collision and noise
Solution Approach 2:
The differential wall thickness design provides inherent cushioning by making the introduction portion more flexible, allowing the tube to absorb minor collisions and prevent hard impacts between rollers and the pump base or groove, thereby preventing noise before it occurs
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 configuration effectively raises suction pressure while minimizing noise and ensuring smooth operation by allowing the pump rollers to engage with both tubes, preventing collisions and maintaining low noise levels.
Implementation Method 1
the inside of each of the first pump tube 25 and the second pump tube 26 can be brought into a negative pressure state. Accordingly, ink can be sucked from a print head
Implementation Method 2
the shaft portions 331a, 332a, and 333a of the rollers move while rotating in the grooves of the roller holder 330
Data Source
AI summary
An ink jet printing apparatus includes a first fixing member including a first coupling portion coupled to a cap-side end of a first pump tube and a second coupling portion coupled to a waste ink storage portion-side end of a second pump tube. The distance from a reference surface of a pump base to the first coupling portion is different from the distance from the reference surface of the pump base to the second coupling portion.