Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Head Flow Path Sealing Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet printers face challenges in maintaining the head flow path during maintenance, as existing techniques often result in imperfect seals and risk of liquid leakage when removing the flow path, necessitating quick maintenance to minimize downtime and prevent unnecessary cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus with an attaching member and an opening/closing mechanism that allows the head flow path to be closed before removal, using a magnetically operated valve or a flexible film mechanism to ensure the path is sealed, preventing leakage and enabling efficient maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the head flow path is closed simultaneously with removal from the liquid ejecting head, then the structure is simple, but the seal is imperfect and liquid may leak
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by closing the head flow path before removing it from the liquid ejecting head. The closing mechanism is activated in advance during the removal process, ensuring the flow path is sealed before complete separation occurs. This prevents liquid leakage while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary anti-action by preparing the closing mechanism to counteract potential liquid leakage before it occurs. The mechanism is positioned and configured to immediately seal the flow path as removal begins, preventing the harmful effect of leakage rather than addressing it after it happens.
2Productivity
If maintenance is performed quickly to minimize downtime, then productivity is improved, but the risk of liquid leakage increases if the seal is imperfect
Solution Approach 1:
The closing mechanism is prepared and positioned in advance before maintenance removal begins. This preliminary configuration allows the flow path to be sealed quickly and reliably during the removal process, enabling fast maintenance while preventing liquid leakage through the improved sealing action.
3Reliability
If the head flow path is removed slowly to ensure proper sealing, then seal reliability is improved, but maintenance time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closing mechanism is pre-positioned and ready to act immediately when removal begins. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for slow, careful removal operations, as the sealing action is automatically initiated and executed quickly, achieving both fast maintenance and reliable sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual, slow sealing operations with an automated closing mechanism that acts quickly and reliably. This mechanical substitution eliminates the need for operators to perform slow, careful sealing actions, reducing maintenance time while ensuring consistent seal reliability.
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 prevents liquid leakage during maintenance, allowing for quicker service and improved serviceability by ensuring the head flow path is closed before removal, thus minimizing downtime and cleaning requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a magnet that is provided on the attaching member and that resists the urging and positions the valve body at the open position while the attaching member is attached at the adjacent position
Implementation Method 2
a urging member that biases the valve body from the open position toward the closed position
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus including a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid; a head flow path connected to the liquid ejecting head, that supplies the liquid; an attaching member that is attachable at a position adjacent to the head flow path; and an opening/closing mechanism that opens the head flow path when the attaching member is attached at the adjacent position and closes the head flow path when the attaching member is removed from the adjacent position.