Ink Circulation Mechanism for Liquid Ejecting Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid ejecting apparatuses face concentration imbalances in flow paths when multiple cartridges supply ink, leading to reduced printing quality due to stagnation and precipitation of ink, especially with pigment inks, which causes interruptions and mottled patterns during printing.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus with a flow mechanism that circulates ink in housing portion side flow paths corresponding to non-supplying cartridges when they are not in use, and a selector that chooses the optimal cartridge based on residual amounts to maintain balanced ink concentration, ensuring continuous printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple cartridges are coupled to supply ink to the liquid ejecting head, then printing continuity is improved, but concentration imbalance in flow paths worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary circulation of ink in non-supply cartridge flow paths before actual printing begins. The controller activates the flow mechanism to circulate ink for a predetermined time before switching cartridges, ensuring concentration uniformity is established in advance. This preliminary action prevents concentration imbalance during the transition between cartridges.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic circulation of ink in non-supply cartridge flow paths at predetermined intervals during operation. The controller periodically activates the flow mechanism to circulate ink, maintaining concentration uniformity dynamically throughout the printing process. This periodic action ensures that even as printing continues with multiple cartridges, ink concentration remains balanced in all flow paths.
2Stability of the object's composition
If ink flows in housing portion side flow paths, then concentration imbalance is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow mechanism serves multiple functions: it circulates ink in non-supply cartridge flow paths to prevent concentration imbalance, and can also be used to purge flow paths during maintenance. The same flow mechanism handles both concentration uniformity maintenance and system maintenance tasks, reducing the need for separate dedicated components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own existing flow paths and pressure differential mechanisms to circulate ink without requiring external pumping devices. The controller exploits the natural flow characteristics of the ink supply system to achieve circulation, minimizing additional hardware complexity while still achieving concentration uniformity.
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 effectively reduces concentration imbalances in flow paths, allowing for uninterrupted printing by circulating ink and selecting the best cartridge to mix and supply ink, thus maintaining print quality.
Implementation Method 1
a flow mechanism which can cause liquid to flow in the housing portion flow paths, and the flow mechanism causes liquid to flow in a housing portion side flow path corresponding with a liquid housing portion that does not supply liquid for a predetermined time set in advance among the housing portion side flow paths
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid which is supplied from two or more liquid housing portions that house liquid; two or more housing portion side flow paths which are provided to correspond with each of the liquid housing portions and which supply liquid from an upstream side that is a side of the liquid housing portions to a downstream side; and a flow mechanism which is capable of causing liquid to flow in the housing portion flow paths, and the flow mechanism causes liquid to flow in a housing portion side flow path corresponding with a liquid housing portion that does not supply liquid for a predetermined time set in advance among the housing portion side flow paths.