Drying Apparatus with Dual-Surface Temperature Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drying techniques for printing materials face challenges in controlling heat and temperature to efficiently dry ink across various media with different heat resistances, leading to either slow drying or damage to low-heat resistance materials.

Innovation Solution

A drying apparatus with individually controlled heat and temperature sections, using a control table to set target temperatures and heat outputs based on the medium's glass transition point, ensuring appropriate drying while minimizing damage to low-heat resistance materials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the drying unit temperature is controlled to a set temperature based on low-heat resistance printing material, then low-heat resistance material is protected from damage, but high-heat resistance printing material dries slower

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamage to low-heat resistance printing materialVSAvoiddrying speed for high-heat resistance printing material
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The drying unit temperature is made dynamically adjustable based on the heat resistance characteristics of the printing material being used. The control section receives information about the printing material type and automatically adjusts the drying temperature to match the material's heat resistance, enabling optimal drying speed without damage risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The drying temperature parameter is changed according to the printing material type. The system stores multiple temperature settings corresponding to different printing material heat resistance levels and selects the appropriate temperature parameter based on the material being processed, allowing efficient adaptation to various materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If the drying unit temperature is controlled to a set temperature based on high-heat resistance printing material, then high-heat resistance printing material dries efficiently, but low-heat resistance printing material is damaged by heat

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying speed for high-heat resistance printing materialVSAvoidheat damage to low-heat resistance printing material
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The drying unit temperature is made dynamically adjustable based on the heat resistance characteristics of the printing material being used. The control section receives information about the printing material type and automatically adjusts the drying temperature to match the material's heat resistance, enabling optimal drying speed without damage risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The drying temperature parameter is changed according to the printing material type. The system stores multiple temperature settings corresponding to different printing material heat resistance levels and selects the appropriate temperature parameter based on the material being processed, allowing efficient adaptation to various materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If a single drying temperature is used for all printing materials, then the control system is simple, but either drying efficiency is reduced or material damage occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoiddrying efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The drying unit is designed with multi-functionality to handle various printing material types. By incorporating a control section that automatically selects appropriate temperature settings based on material type, the system achieves universal applicability across different materials while maintaining optimal drying efficiency for each.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The drying temperature parameter is changed according to the printing material type. The system stores multiple temperature settings corresponding to different printing material heat resistance levels and selects the appropriate temperature parameter based on the material being processed, allowing efficient adaptation to various materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 allows for efficient drying of ink on various printing materials by adjusting heat and temperature settings according to the medium's heat resistance, preventing damage and ensuring timely evaporation of moisture.

Implementation Method 1

a heat drying section that dries the first surface of the medium on which the liquid has landed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

introduce, to the ink, an amount of heat sufficient to evaporate the moisture from the ink

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 3

a temperature adjusting section that heats or cools the second surface of the medium, which is a surface opposite to the first surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 4

a temperature adjusting section that heats or cools the second surface of the medium

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Data Source

PatentEP3034310B1Drying apparatus, printing apparatus, and drying method
Publication Date: 2017.09.13 SEIKO EPSON CORP
  • EP3034310B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3034310B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3034310B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A drying apparatus includes: a heat drying section that heats a medium to which a liquid has been applied from a first surface side of the medium; a temperature adjusting section that adjusts a temperature of the medium from a second surface side of the medium, the second surface being on the opposite side to the first surface; and a control section capable of controlling the heat drying section and the temperature adjusting section. The control section controls the heat drying section and the temperature adjusting section individually in accordance with the type of the medium.