Heat Roller Drying Gas Recirculation Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printing apparatuses with heat roller drying systems face issues of increased humidity and temperature drops due to gas cooling, leading to reduced drying efficiency and potential damage from diffused high-temperature gas, while adding temperature adjusting mechanisms increases manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A drying device with a heat roller, cooling unit, gas guide units, and gas supply/exhaust units that recirculate high-temperature gas to maintain efficient drying and prevent gas diffusion, using a gas inward and outward guide system to control humidity and temperature around the heat roller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If gas cooling is applied to prevent damage of members near the heat source, then temperature of members is reduced, but high-temperature gas diffuses in the printing apparatus causing temperature increase in other areas
Solution Approach 1:
A guide structure is introduced as an intermediary element to direct the flow of cooling gas. The guide has a gas inlet positioned near the heat source and a gas outlet directed toward the heat roller surface, creating a controlled pathway that prevents gas diffusion to other areas while maintaining cooling effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling gas flow is localized to specific regions through the guide structure. Different areas receive appropriate gas flow: the heat source area receives cooling gas while the heat roller surface area receives controlled gas flow, preventing unwanted temperature changes in different zones
2Productivity
If gas at ordinary temperature is supplied to replace vaporized solvent and reduce humidity, then drying efficiency increases, but temperature of the heat roller decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply system is segmented into different zones: a first gas supply near the heat source for cooling, and a second gas supply near the heat roller surface for humidity control. This segmentation allows independent optimization of temperature and humidity in each zone without mutual interference
Solution Approach 2:
Different gas temperatures are supplied to different locations: ordinary temperature gas is supplied locally to the heat roller surface area to replace vaporized solvent and control humidity, while not affecting the overall heat roller temperature maintained by the segmented gas supply system
3Temperature
If a temperature adjusting mechanism is added to control temperature in the apparatus, then temperature distribution is improved, but manufacturing cost substantially increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure utilizes the existing cooling gas flow to achieve multiple functions: it cools the heat source, directs gas flow to control humidity near the heat roller, and prevents gas diffusion to other areas. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate temperature adjusting mechanisms while maintaining proper temperature distribution
Solution Approach 2:
The guide structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a cooling gas channel, a humidity control mechanism, and a flow direction controller. This multi-functionality replaces what would otherwise require multiple separate temperature adjusting mechanisms, reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost
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
This solution enhances drying efficiency by reducing humidity and temperature drops near the heat roller, minimizing gas diffusion, and maintaining efficient ink drying while reducing manufacturing costs by avoiding the need for additional temperature adjusting mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling unit that feeds cooling wind from a place lateral to the heat roller toward a part near the heat source
Implementation Method 2
a heat roller that rotates about a rotation axis extending parallel to a width direction of the printing medium while supporting the printing medium on an outer peripheral surface of the heat roller... a heat source provided in the heat roller
Implementation Method 3
a gas outward guide unit that guides gas outwardly from the part near the heat source to the outside of the drying chamber; a gas inward guide unit that guides gas inwardly into space external to the heat roller and inside the drying chamber
Implementation Method 4
a vaporized solvent component in the ink increases the humidity of the gas (a content of the solvent component in the gas) in a neighborhood of the surface of the heat roller during the drying process
Data Source
AI summary
A drying device includes a cooling unit, a gas outward guide unit, a gas inward guide unit, a gas supply unit, and a gas exhaust unit. The cooling unit feeds cooling wind toward a part near a heat source. The gas outward guide unit guides gas outwardly from the part near the heat source. The gas inward guide unit guides the outwardly-guided gas inwardly into the drying chamber. The gas supply unit supplies the inwardly-guided gas in the drying chamber to a neighborhood of an outer peripheral surface of the heat roller. The gas exhaust unit releases gas from a surrounding of the heat roller to the outside of a printing apparatus. Thus, high-temperature gas with heat absorbed from the part near the heat source is fed to the surrounding of the heat roller. This reduces humidity increase in the surrounding of the heat roller and reduces temperature drop of the heat roller, compared to feeding gas at ordinary temperature. Further, diffusion of the high-temperature gas in the printing apparatus is prevented.