Ink Chamber Pressure Control for Stable Printhead Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing apparatuses experience variations in ink supply pressure due to the restoring force of liquid chamber components when the chamber capacity increases beyond expected levels, leading to unstable ink discharge.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with a forming unit, pressure chamber, wall member, restricting unit, and pressure adjusting unit that control the displacement of the wall member to manage the liquid chamber capacity, using a negative pressure state for replenishment and positive pressure for supply, with a restricting unit to limit displacement during negative pressure and cancel it during positive pressure, thereby stabilizing the ink supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the capacity of the liquid chamber is increased to ensure sufficient ink storage, then the ink supply stability is improved, but the restoring force of the liquid chamber components causes excessive supply pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid chamber is divided into a first liquid chamber and a second liquid chamber separated by a partition wall. The first liquid chamber handles ink storage with negative pressure, while the second liquid chamber handles ink supply with positive pressure. This segmentation allows each chamber to operate under optimized pressure conditions independently, preventing the restoring force issue while ensuring sufficient storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
A pressure adjusting unit acts as an intermediary between the liquid chamber and the discharge head. This unit includes a pressure adjustment valve that can regulate the pressure in the liquid chamber, preventing excessive pressure buildup from restoring forces while maintaining stable ink supply to the discharge head.
2Stress or pressure
If the pressure in the liquid chamber is increased to improve ink supply stability, then the ink discharge stability is improved, but the liquid chamber capacity becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid chamber is segmented into two separate chambers with distinct functions. The first liquid chamber maintains negative pressure for stable ink storage, while the second liquid chamber maintains positive pressure for stable ink supply. This allows sufficient capacity in the first chamber without compromising supply stability in the second chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure adjusting unit serves as an intermediary that decouples the pressure control from the capacity control. It can independently adjust the pressure in the liquid chamber to optimal levels for supply stability while the partition wall maintains the capacity of the first liquid chamber for ink storage.
3Quantity of substance
If the liquid chamber capacity is increased beyond the assumed level, then the ink storage is improved, but the restoring force of components causes higher than assumed supply pressure
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the liquid chamber into two separate chambers with a partition wall, the system can maintain accurate pressure control in the second chamber (supply chamber) independent of the capacity changes in the first chamber (storage chamber). This prevents restoring forces from capacity increases in the first chamber from affecting supply pressure control.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure adjusting unit with its pressure adjustment valve acts as an intermediary that actively compensates for pressure variations. It monitors and adjusts the pressure in the liquid chamber to maintain supply pressure within the assumed range, preventing reliability issues from capacity variations.
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 reduces variations in supply pressure, ensuring stable ink discharge by controlling the liquid chamber capacity and preventing excessive pressure fluctuations, enhancing the reliability of the printing process.
Implementation Method 1
a wall member configured to partition between the liquid chamber and the pressure chamber and be displaced in accordance with a pressure in the pressure chamber so as to change a capacity of the liquid chamber
Implementation Method 2
a pressure adjusting unit configured to adjust the pressure in the pressure chamber
Implementation Method 3
a restricting unit provided in the pressure chamber and configured to restrict the displacement of the wall member in accordance with the pressure in the pressure chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus includes a liquid chamber, a pressure chamber, a wall member partitioning between the chambers, a restricting unit restricting the displacement of the wall member, and a pressure adjusting unit adjusting the pressure in the pressure chamber. The wall member is displaced to increase the capacity of the liquid chamber when the pressure chamber is set in a negative pressure state. The restricting unit restricts a displacement range of the wall member when the pressure chamber is set in the negative pressure state. The pressure adjusting unit performs a replenishing operation of adjusting the pressure chamber in the negative pressure state so as to introduce the liquid from a liquid container to the liquid chamber, and a supplying operation of adjusting the pressure chamber in a positive pressure state so as to supply the liquid from the liquid chamber to a discharging unit.