Image Recording Tank Cleaning Control for Reduced Liquid Consumption
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image recording apparatuses, the independent supply of cleaning liquid to the wiper tank and flushing tank results in excessive consumption due to ink drying and evaporation in the flushing foam, leading to increased usage.
Innovation Solution
An integrated system where a controller manages the supply and discharge of cleaning liquid between a wiper tank and a flushing tank, optimizing the timing and amount based on elapsed time since last cleaning to minimize consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cleaning liquid is supplied independently to wiper tank and flushing tank, then both tanks can be maintained separately, but the amount of cleaning liquid consumed increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cleaning liquid supply system by introducing a shared supply pump that supplies cleaning liquid to both the wiper tank and flushing tank through a unified control mechanism. The controller manages the timing and amount of cleaning liquid supplied to each tank based on elapsed time since last cleaning, preventing excessive consumption while ensuring both tanks receive adequate maintenance fluid.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller performs preliminary actions by calculating and managing the elapsed time since the last cleaning of each tank, and proactively determines when cleaning liquid should be supplied to prevent ink drying and fixation before it occurs. This predictive approach optimizes cleaning liquid consumption by avoiding unnecessary supplies.
2Reliability
If cleaning liquid is supplied frequently to prevent ink drying, then ink fixation is prevented, but the amount of cleaning liquid consumed increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller uses feedback from the elapsed time calculation to determine when cleaning liquid should be supplied to each tank. By continuously monitoring the time elapsed since the last cleaning operation and comparing it against predetermined thresholds, the system optimizes the timing of cleaning liquid supply to prevent ink fixation while minimizing overall consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of cleaning liquid supply timing based on elapsed time conditions. The controller adjusts the supply timing and amount dynamically, supplying cleaning liquid to the wiper tank and flushing tank at different intervals based on which tank was cleaned most recently, thereby optimizing consumption while preventing ink drying.
3Productivity
If cleaning liquid is supplied to both tanks simultaneously, then both maintenance functions are ensured, but the cleaning liquid consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning liquid supply system is made dynamic through the controller's real-time management of supply timing based on elapsed time since last cleaning. The system adaptively adjusts when cleaning liquid is supplied to each tank, allowing for optimized maintenance coverage without excessive consumption by responding to the actual state of each tank.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller performs preliminary calculations of elapsed time for both tanks and proactively determines the optimal supply timing before cleaning liquid is actually needed. This allows the system to plan maintenance operations efficiently, ensuring both tanks receive adequate attention while minimizing redundant supplies.
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
Reduces the overall amount of cleaning liquid used in wipe and flushing processes by preventing ink fixation and evaporation, thereby optimizing resource usage.
Implementation Method 1
a flushing foam configured to absorb the liquid ejected from the nozzle
Implementation Method 2
the adding of the cleaning liquid which has an effect of preventing the ink from being fixed to the flushing foam in addition to an effect of lowering an evaporation rate of the cleaning liquid stored in the wiper tank
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided an image recording apparatus (10) including: a head (42); a maintenance unit (50); and a controller (100). The maintenance unit includes a wiper tank (51) and a flushing tank (61). A first tank is one of the wiper and flushing tanks and a second tank is remaining one of the wiper and flushing tanks. The controller is configured to perform a first processing of cleaning the first tank, under a condition that an elapsed time is less than a threshold value, the elapsed time being a time elapsed since cleaning of the second tank or since a predetermined processing performed first after the cleaning of the second tank, and is configured to perform a second processing of cleaning the second tank by adding the cleaning liquid to the first tank, under a condition that the elapsed time is not less than the threshold value.