Counter-Rotating Cleaning Rotor for Transfer Body Impurity Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet image forming apparatuses face challenges in effectively removing pre-coating agents and impurities from the transfer body, leading to issues with ink bleeding and uneven image printing, particularly when using intermediate transfer systems.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning apparatus with a rotating cleaning rotor that contacts the transfer body in a counter direction to the transfer body's movement, enhancing the removal of pre-coating agents and impurities by forming a cleaning nip and using a blade to scrape off residues from the cleaning roller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cleaning rotor rotates in the same direction as the transfer body movement, then the cleaning process is simpler, but impurities enter the cleaning nip and cleaning performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning rotor is made to rotate in the opposite direction to the transfer body movement. This inversion of the conventional cleaning approach prevents impurities from entering the cleaning nip while maintaining effective cleaning performance. The counter-rotation creates a cleaning action that scrapes impurities off the transfer body without allowing them to be drawn into the nip region.
2Loss of substance
If ink ejection amount is reduced to suppress cost, then cost is reduced, but contrast ratio decreases and unevenness occurs in solid image printing
Solution Approach 1:
A transfer body is introduced as an intermediary between the inkjet head and the recording medium. The ink is ejected onto the transfer body and then transferred to the recording medium through a transfer nip. This intermediary system allows the ink to be spread evenly on the transfer body surface, preventing bleeding while enabling efficient transfer to the recording medium, thus maintaining image quality with reduced ink consumption.
3Productivity
If pre-coating agent is supplied to transfer body to enhance transfer efficiency, then transfer efficiency is improved, but impurities accumulate on transfer body requiring cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning rotor operates continuously during the transfer process to remove pre-coating agent and impurities from the transfer body surface. This continuous cleaning action maintains the transfer body in a clean state, ensuring sustained high transfer efficiency without accumulation of harmful impurities that would otherwise degrade performance over time.
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 prevents impurities from entering the cleaning nip, ensuring thorough removal of pre-coating agents and impurities, improving the cleanliness of the transfer body and maintaining image quality.
Implementation Method 1
a cleaning rotor that contacts the transfer body and rotates in a counter direction opposite to a moving direction of the transfer body to remove a pre-coating agent and an impurity present on the transfer body after transfer
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning apparatus carries ink ejected from an inkjet head and cleans a transfer body that transfers the ink onto a recording medium at a transfer nip, and the cleaning apparatus includes: a cleaning rotor that contacts the transfer body and rotates in a counter direction opposite to a moving direction of the transfer body to remove a pre-coating agent and an impurity present on the transfer body after transfer.