Deformable Shielding for Curved Surface UV Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing apparatuses for printing and radiation treatment of curved surfaces face issues with scattered radiation damaging the printing unit and difficulty in maintaining optimal distance to avoid collisions, leading to suboptimal printing and increased risk of ink curing prematurely.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a printing unit, radiation unit, and a movement unit, equipped with an adjustable and deformable shielding unit that can be actuated to maintain a predefined working distance and prevent scattered radiation from reaching the printing unit, allowing for continuous printing and radiation treatment on curved surfaces without interruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the distance between the printing unit and radiation unit is reduced to minimize scattered radiation exposure, then radiation damage to the printing unit is reduced, but the risk of collision with the curved surface increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding unit is made dynamically adjustable and deformable to adapt to the curved surface geometry. It can change its position and shape in real-time to maintain optimal protection while following the surface contours, resolving the contradiction between radiation shielding and collision avoidance.
Solution Approach 2:
A shielding unit is introduced as an intermediary element between the radiation unit and printing unit. This mediator blocks scattered radiation while allowing the printing unit to maintain a safe distance from the curved surface, preventing both radiation damage and collisions.
2Reliability
If the distance between printing unit and radiation unit is increased to avoid collisions with curved surface, then collision risk is reduced, but scattered radiation reaches the printing unit causing ink curing and unit damage
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding unit serves as a protective intermediary that enables the printing unit to operate at a safer distance from the curved surface while still protecting it from scattered radiation. The shield blocks harmful radiation paths without requiring the units to be in close proximity.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable and deformable shielding unit adapts to different curved surface geometries, maintaining effective radiation protection even when the printing unit is positioned at a greater distance to avoid collisions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a rigid housing is used to shield against UV radiation, then radiation protection is provided, but the system cannot adapt to curved surfaces and requires rectilinear movement
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding unit is designed to be adjustable and deformable rather than rigid, allowing it to adapt to curved surface geometries. This enables the system to print on curved surfaces while maintaining radiation protection, eliminating the need for rectilinear movement constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding unit can be implemented as a flexible structure that can deform to match curved surface contours, providing radiation protection while adapting to various surface geometries and enabling curved surface printing.
4Reliability
If the working distance between printing and radiation units is optimized for curved surfaces, then collision avoidance is improved, but the time interval for ink spreading is reduced increasing the risk of premature ink running
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding unit enables the printing unit to maintain an optimal distance from the curved surface for collision avoidance while the radiation protection is provided by the shield rather than by reducing the working distance, thus preserving the ink spreading 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
The solution effectively reduces damage from scattered radiation, enables uninterrupted printing of long webs, increases productivity, and enhances the quality of the printed image by maintaining a consistent working distance and shielding the printing unit from radiation.
Implementation Method 1
a radiation unit (3), which can be actuated to emit radiation towards the surface (8)
Implementation Method 2
a shielding unit (4), which can be adjusted and/or deformed relative to the printing unit (1) and/or relative to the radiation unit (3) and during the printing
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for the printing and radiation treatment of a curved surface of an object, such as a body part, includes a printing unit, preferably an inkjet print head, a radiation unit, preferably a UV dryer, and a movement unit, preferably a robot, either for moving the printing unit and the radiation unit at a working distance along the surface or for moving the object at a working distance along the printing unit and the radiation unit. A shielding unit can be adjusted and/or deformed relative to the printing unit and/or relative to the radiation unit and during the printing. Scattered radiation is shielded and damage to the printing unit is prevented as a result of the special configuration of the shielding unit.