Heating Device Control Unit Cooling via Airflow Collision
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Solution Overview
Problem
In printing apparatuses, when multiple heater control boards are used, sequential cooling of adjacent boards within a box-shaped heating unit can result in insufficient cooling, as warmed air from one board is used to cool the next, reducing overall cooling efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A medium heating device is designed with multiple control units, each with air inlets and outlets, where the outlets of one unit face and collide with the inlets of another, preventing mixing of exhaust and intake air, and including a heat sink with fins for efficient heat dissipation, ensuring effective cooling of each control unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If multiple heater control boards are disposed side-by-side inside a box-shaped part and cooled sequentially, then the structure is compact, but the cooling effect becomes insufficient because warmed air from one board is used to cool the next board
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple independent cooling chambers, each containing a heater control board. Each chamber has its own air inlet and air outlet, allowing independent cooling of each control board with separate air flows, preventing the propagation of warmed air between adjacent boards.
Solution Approach 2:
Each heater control board is provided with locally optimized cooling airflow paths through dedicated inlets and outlets on adjacent surfaces. The air flow direction is configured to move from one surface to an adjacent surface, ensuring each board receives fresh cooling air rather than reused warmed air from neighboring boards.
2Temperature
If air outlets of control units face each other to prevent warm air mixing, then cooling efficiency improves, but device complexity increases due to additional air intake and exhaust fans
Solution Approach 1:
Adjacent heater control boards are configured with air outlets facing each other, and the exhaust air from both boards is merged and discharged together through a shared exhaust outlet. This reduces the number of separate exhaust fans needed while maintaining effective cooling and preventing warm air recirculation.
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 configuration enhances the cooling efficiency of each control unit, preventing reduced cooling performance due to mixed air flows and allowing for reliable operation of the heating unit, maintaining printing quality by efficiently drying and fixing ink on the medium.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the first control unit and the second control unit includes an air intake and exhaust fan installed at at least one of the air inlet and the air outlet
Implementation Method 2
the first control unit and the second control unit include a heat sink for heat dissipation, the heat sink includes a plurality of fins
Implementation Method 3
the plurality of fins are formed along a flow of air flowing from the air inlet to the air outlet
Data Source
AI summary
A medium heating device includes a heating unit configured to heat a medium; a first control unit and a second control unit configured to control the heating unit; and a housing including the first control unit and the second control unit inside the housing. Each of the first control unit and the second control unit includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The first control unit and the second control unit include an air intake and exhaust fan installed at at least one of the air inlet and the air outlet of the first control unit, and at at least one of the air inlet and the air outlet of the second control unit. The first control unit and the second control unit are disposed such that the air outlet of the first control unit and the air outlet of the second control unit face each other.