Fluid Ejecting Apparatus Concavo-Convex Pattern Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ink-jet printers face difficulties in printing decorative images with a glossy finish, as they struggle to form concavo-convex irregular patterns required for a three-dimensional appearance.
Innovation Solution
A fluid ejecting apparatus that includes a section for ejecting colored and colorless fluids onto a target medium, with a controlling section that manages the ejection and ultraviolet curing process to facilitate the formation of a concavo-convex pattern by allowing the colorless fluid to agglomerate and then be cured with ultraviolet rays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If colorless ink is ejected on colored ink and immediately cured with ultraviolet rays, then a flat glossy layer is formed, but a decorative three-dimensional appearance cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by ejecting colorless ink and allowing it to agglomerate for a predetermined period before irradiating with ultraviolet rays. This timing control enables the ink to form concavo-convex irregular patterns through natural agglomeration, creating a decorative three-dimensional appearance while maintaining glossy finish. The key is performing the curing action after the agglomeration process has started, not immediately upon ejection.
2Productivity
If ultraviolet rays are irradiated immediately after colorless ink ejection, then curing efficiency is high, but concavo-convex irregular patterns cannot form
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a predetermined period between colorless ink ejection and ultraviolet ray irradiation. During this interval, the colorless ink is allowed to agglomerate and form concavo-convex irregular patterns on the colored ink surface. Only after this pattern formation period elapses is the ultraviolet irradiation applied to cure the ink, thus preserving both the decorative surface irregularity and achieving curing.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple ejection and curing cycles are used to create decorative patterns, then image quality improves, but printing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves decorative pattern formation within a single ejection-curing cycle by introducing a time delay between ejection and curing. The colorless ink is ejected, allowed to agglomerate for a predetermined period, and then cured with ultraviolet rays. This eliminates the need for multiple repetitive ejection and curing cycles, significantly reducing printing time while maintaining high decorative pattern quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the natural agglomeration property of colorless ink on colored ink surface to self-form concavo-convex irregular patterns without requiring additional mechanical intervention or multiple processing steps. The ink spontaneously creates the decorative pattern through capillary action and surface tension effects during the predetermined waiting period, eliminating the need for complex multi-step processes.
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
Enables the creation of decorative print images with a three-dimensional appearance by forming a concavo-convex irregular pattern, enhancing the printer's ability to produce images with a desired finish.
Implementation Method 1
an irradiating section for irradiating ultraviolet rays onto the colorless fluid that lies on the colored fluid or over the colored fluid so as to cure the colorless fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid ejecting apparatus includes: a fluid ejecting unit that ejects a colored fluid and a colorless fluid toward a fluid ejection target medium; an irradiating unit that irradiates ultraviolet rays onto a fluid that lies on or over the fluid ejection target medium so as to cure the fluid; and a controlling unit that controls the fluid ejecting operation of the fluid ejecting unit and the ultraviolet ray irradiating operation of the irradiating unit. The controlling unit performs control so that the colorless fluid is ejected on an image that is made of the colored fluid that landed on the fluid ejection target medium. After the start of the agglomeration of the colorless fluid that landed on the image, the controlling unit performs control so that ultraviolet rays are irradiated onto the colorless fluid.