Electrohydrodynamic Printer Extractor With Self-Cleaning Fluid Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Early e-jet printing was limited to electrically conductive printing surfaces and faced issues with ink interference with the electric field, leading to inconsistent deposition and potential arcing due to ink build-up on the extractor.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a self-cleaning extractor, typically a metal block or rod, with a flowing layer of cleaning fluid that removes stray ink during printing, using a gas-over-liquid dispensing system to maintain a controlled flow and prevent ink deposition on the extractor surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conductive printing surface is used as one of the electrodes, then the electric field consistency is improved, but the printing surface must be electrically conductive which limits applicability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dielectric layer as an intermediary between the extractor electrode and the printing surface. This dielectric layer allows the electric field to be maintained consistently while enabling printing on non-conductive surfaces, thus resolving the contradiction between electric field consistency and surface compatibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the conductive requirement from the printing surface by using a separate extractor electrode that can be independently controlled. This allows the printing surface to be non-conductive while maintaining the necessary electric field for inkjet printing
2Productivity
If printing continues without cleaning, then productivity is improved, but ink build-up causes interference with the electric field and potential arcing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-cleaning mechanism where the extractor electrode is periodically cleaned by contact with a cleaning surface or through application of cleaning fluid. This allows the system to maintain itself during operation, enabling continuous printing while preventing ink build-up that would interfere with the electric field
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic cleaning cycles during which the extractor electrode contacts a cleaning surface or receives cleaning fluid application. These periodic actions remove accumulated ink while maintaining continuous printing capability, thus preserving electric field stability
3Reliability
If cleaning fluid flows along the extractor surface, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses hydraulic principles by flowing cleaning liquid along the extractor surface to remove ink deposits. This approach achieves effective cleaning while avoiding complex mechanical cleaning mechanisms, thus improving reliability without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state of the cleaning fluid by controlling its flow rate, temperature, or chemical composition to optimize cleaning effectiveness. By adjusting these parameters, the system achieves reliable cleaning with a relatively simple fluid delivery mechanism
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 self-cleaning extractor maintains the integrity of the electric field and prevents ink build-up, reducing the need for separate cleaning cycles and minimizing arcing risks, thereby ensuring consistent and high-resolution printing.
Implementation Method 1
a gas-over-liquid dispensing system that dispenses a layer of cleaning fluid on the extractor
Implementation Method 2
a layer of cleaning fluid flows along a surface of the extractor
Implementation Method 3
electrohydrodynamic printing, also known as e-jet printing, is a printing technique that relies on an electric field to extract a charged or polarized printing fluid from a printing nozzle
Implementation Method 4
the surface forms a non-zero angle with respect to horizontal such that the layer of cleaning fluid flows downward and away from a working end of the extractor
Data Source
AI summary
An electrohydrodynamic printer has a self-cleaning extractor that can cleaning itself during printing. The extractor can be in the form of a metal block or a metal rod along which a layer of cleaning fluid flows from a source of cleaning fluid to a collector. The surface of the extractor along which the cleaning fluid flows can be adjustable between horizontal and any other angle. The self-cleaning extractor eliminates the need to interrupt e-jet printing cycles to clean stray printing fluid from the extractor by continuously keeping the extractor clean during ink extraction and printing.