Heating Unit Air Passage Design for Condensation Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printing devices face issues with condensation occurring in the heating unit due to moisture vapor from the ink, leading to a wet recording medium after printing.
Innovation Solution
A printing device design featuring a heating unit with a medium passage and an air passage, where the heat generator is positioned between the passages to heat the recording medium, and an air aspirating and discharging system to manage air flow and prevent condensation, ensuring the recording medium remains dry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a heating mechanism is used to heat and dry the ink on the recording medium, then the ink drying efficiency is improved, but moisture vapor remains within the casing body causing condensation and making the recording medium wet
Solution Approach 1:
The heating unit is divided into separate functional zones: a medium passage for the recording medium and an independent air passage for vapor management. The air passage is further segmented into an aspirating port on the upstream side and a discharging port on the downstream side, creating distinct regions for different functions within the heating unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful moisture vapor is extracted from the medium passage through the air passage. The air aspirating port draws vapor-laden air from the upstream region where ink is applied, and the air discharging port expels this vapor outside the casing body, removing the harmful factor from the system.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the heat generator is positioned to directly heat the recording medium, then heating efficiency is improved, but condensation occurs more readily in the heating unit
Solution Approach 1:
The air passage acts as an intermediary system between the heat source and the recording medium. It provides a separate pathway for vapor removal that does not interfere with the direct heating function, allowing efficient heat transfer while simultaneously managing moisture vapor through the aspirating and discharging ports.
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 condensation within the printing device, maintaining the recording medium dry and preventing ink from getting wet, thus ensuring reliable and efficient printing operations.
Implementation Method 1
a heat generator disposed between the medium passage and the air passage in a sectional view of the heating unit to heat the recording medium after printing with heat generated by the heat generator
Implementation Method 2
The air passage has an air aspirating port that is connected with the medium passage so as to aspirate air in the medium passage
Data Source
AI summary
A printing device includes a device main body that has a feeding unit to feed a recording medium and a printing section to print by ejecting ink from a head onto the recording medium, and a heating unit disposed on a downstream side in a feed direction of the recording medium with respect to the device main body. The heating unit has a medium passage to pass the recording medium after printing therethrough, a heat generator disposed between the medium passage and the air passage in a sectional view of the heating unit to heat the recording medium after printing, and an air passage having an air aspirating port connected with the medium passage to aspirate air and an air discharging port to discharge air. The air aspirating port is located on an upstream side in a feed direction of the recording medium with respect to the air discharging port.