Inert Gas Curtain for Polymerization Chamber Air-Tightness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing polymerization devices for inks and paints in printing and coating machines suffer from gas leaks and oxygen infiltration, leading to increased nitrogen consumption and costs, as they are not air-tight, causing performance degradation.
Innovation Solution
A device with a polymerization chamber equipped with inert gas movement members near the inlet and outlet slots to counteract the entry and exit of air, using rotatable surfaces with bumps to create a dragging effect that minimizes nitrogen escape and ensures a constant inert gas flow, reducing oxygen presence and nitrogen consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the chamber is made open to allow continuous support insertion and removal, then ease of operation is improved, but air-tightness deteriorates causing oxygen infiltration and increased nitrogen consumption
Solution Approach 1:
A curtain made of inert gas (nitrogen) is introduced as an intermediary barrier between the chamber interior and the external environment. The curtain flows downward from the inlet slot and upward from the outlet slot, creating a physical barrier that prevents oxygen infiltration while allowing continuous support passage. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining both operational continuity and air-tightness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses gas flow dynamics (pneumatics) to create the curtain effect. Inert gas is introduced at controlled rates to form visible and invisible curtains that physically block oxygen entry. The gas flow is directed to create downward flow at the inlet and upward flow at the outlet, utilizing pneumatic principles to achieve air-tightness without compromising operational ease.
2Reliability
If more inert gas is introduced to compensate for leaks and infiltration, then reliability of inert atmosphere is improved, but nitrogen consumption increases enormously
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the potentially harmful effect of gas leaks and infiltration into a beneficial curtain effect. Instead of trying to completely seal the chamber (which would compromise operation), the leaked gas forms protective curtains that actually enhance the barrier effect. The gas that would otherwise be wasted creates a physical barrier that prevents oxygen infiltration, turning a loss into a benefit.
Solution Approach 2:
The inert gas is not distributed uniformly throughout the chamber but is concentrated at specific locations (inlet and outlet slots) where oxygen infiltration is most likely to occur. The gas flow is localized to create curtains at these critical points, providing targeted protection where it is most needed while minimizing overall nitrogen consumption.
3Manufacturing precision
If the chamber is saturated with inert gas to prevent oxygen presence, then polymerization quality is improved, but gas consumption and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of saturating the entire chamber with inert gas (excessive action), the invention applies inert gas partially and selectively at the inlet and outlet slots where oxygen infiltration occurs. This partial action approach maintains polymerization quality by preventing oxygen entry at critical points while using significantly less inert gas than complete chamber saturation would require.
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 effectively reduces nitrogen consumption and maintains a low oxygen environment within the chamber, enhancing the polymerization process and printing quality by minimizing gas leaks and maintaining a stable inert atmosphere.
Implementation Method 1
the speed of the first side surface close to the support has an opposite direction with respect to the feeding speed of the support
Implementation Method 2
radiation means associated with the chamber and configured to radiate the support with electromagnetic radiation to cause the polymerization of a paint and/or ink layer present on the support
Implementation Method 3
a chemical reaction which is able to change the molecular structure of components
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A device (1) for the polymerization of inks and/or paints, comprises a polymerization chamber (2) having an inlet slot (3) for inserting a printed and/or painted support (S) and an outlet slot (4) for ejecting the support (S); filling means (7) associated with the chamber (2) for introducing inert gas into the chamber (2); radiation means (8) associated with the chamber (2) for radiating the support (S) with electromagnetic radiation and causing the polymerization of a paint and/or ink layer present on the support (S); a first movement member (19) of the inert gas placed close to the inlet slot (3) for moving the inert gas from the interior of the chamber (2) towards the inlet slot (3).