Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Suction Pore Design for Paper Warping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses face challenges in maintaining stable image formation due to paper warping and cockling, leading to uneven ink droplet landing and reduced print quality, especially when handling transfer paper that swells and lifts, causing the printing surface to potentially contact the inkjet unit.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus with a medium supporting portion featuring a first suction pore with a larger hole diameter opposing the liquid ejecting unit, a second suction pore, and a third suction pore, all aligned along the transport direction, which provides a uniform suction force to stabilize the paper and prevent lifting, ensuring consistent image formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single suction pore is used to suck the medium, then the structure is simple, but the paper warps and cockles causing uneven ink droplet landing and reduced print quality
Solution Approach 1:
The suction mechanism is divided into multiple suction pores (first, second, and third suction pores) positioned at different locations along the transport direction. Each suction pore independently contributes to holding the paper, with the first suction pore having a larger hole diameter to provide stronger suction at the printing position, thereby preventing paper warping and cockling while maintaining acceptable structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Different suction pores are designed with different hole diameters to create localized suction characteristics. The first suction pore opposing the liquid ejecting unit has a larger hole diameter to provide stronger suction force where it is most needed for image quality, while other pores have smaller diameters, optimizing the suction distribution across the paper surface without uniformly increasing complexity
2Manufacturing precision
If the paper is strongly sucked to prevent lifting, then image formation stability improves, but the paper may be damaged or the image may be defective
Solution Approach 1:
The suction force is segmented across multiple pores rather than concentrated in one large pore. The first suction pore has a larger diameter to provide strong suction for stability, while the second and third pores with smaller diameters distribute additional suction force gradually, preventing any single point from exerting excessive force that could damage the paper or defect the image
Solution Approach 2:
Stronger suction is locally applied at the first suction pore position where it is most critical for preventing paper lift during printing, while weaker suction is applied at other positions. This localized quality approach maintains image formation stability without uniformly over-sucking the paper, thereby avoiding damage and defects
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple suction pores with different hole diameters are used, then paper stability and image quality improve, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The suction system is segmented into three discrete pores with progressively different diameters, allowing the manufacturing process to be broken into standardized steps: creating the first larger pore, then the second and third smaller pores. This segmentation makes the complexity manageable through modular manufacturing approaches
Solution Approach 2:
The design requires local quality differentiation only at specific positions (first pore larger, second and third pores smaller), rather than requiring complex variable geometry throughout. This localized differentiation simplifies manufacturing compared to fully variable designs, as only specific regions need precision variation
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 apparatus achieves stable image formation by uniformly maintaining the distance between the liquid ejecting unit and the paper, reducing defects and maintaining high print quality even with transfer paper that swells, by effectively adhering the paper to the supporting ribs and suction concave portions.
Implementation Method 1
a suction mechanism for sucking the medium; the first suction pore, the second suction pore and the third suction pore for actuating a suction force of the suction mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting unit that ejects a liquid onto a medium which is transported in a transport direction; a suction mechanism for sucking the medium; and a medium supporting portion that supports the medium. The medium supporting portion includes a first suction pore, a second suction pore and a third suction pore for actuating a suction force of the suction mechanism, the first suction pore, the second suction pore and the third suction pore are disposed in order along the transport direction of the medium from an upstream side to a downstream side, the first suction pore is disposed at a position which opposes the liquid ejecting unit, and the first suction pore has a larger hole diameter than that of the second suction pore.