Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Ink Circulation and Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses wastefully discharge ink until the desired pressure is reached, leading to inefficiencies in removing air and foreign substances from ejection openings.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus with a tank, a liquid ejecting head, a supply passage, a return passage, and a restrictor valve, where liquid circulation is controlled to increase ink pressure efficiently, allowing for targeted discharge of air and foreign substances without excessive ink wastage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the pump is started to increase ink pressure quickly, then the ink pressure reaches desired level faster, but excessive ink is discharged wastefully from ejection openings
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary circulation of ink through the ink passage before actual ejection begins. The circulation path allows ink to be pressurized and circulated without passing through ejection openings, preparing the system for efficient operation while preventing premature wasteful discharge
Solution Approach 2:
The ink flow path is segmented into a circulation path (through supply passage and return passage) and an ejection path (through ejection openings). This segmentation allows independent control of ink circulation for pressurization without necessarily triggering ejection, separating the pressurization function from the ejection function
2Reliability
If the pump runs at high flow rate to discharge air and foreign substances efficiently, then discharge reliability improves, but ink consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful elements (air and foreign substances) are extracted from the ink passage through the circulation system. The circulation path enables these contaminants to be removed via the return passage without requiring high-velocity ejection through the ejection openings, thus achieving reliable discharge while minimizing ink waste
Solution Approach 2:
The circulation system acts as an intermediary mechanism between the pump and the ejection openings. It provides a separate pathway for removing contaminants that does not directly involve the ejection openings, allowing the pump to operate efficiently at removing air and foreign substances without forcing ink through the ejection openings at wasteful rates
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 suppresses wasteful ink consumption while ensuring efficient discharge of air and foreign substances from ejection openings, maintaining stable ink pressure and preventing leakage.
Implementation Method 1
a supply device configured to forcibly supply the liquid in the tank to the inner passage
Implementation Method 2
a restrictor valve configured to restrict an amount of the liquid that flows through the return passage
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus, including: a tank for storing a liquid; a liquid ejecting head including an inner passage having an inlet, an outlet and individual liquid channels; a supply passage connecting the tank and inlet; a return passage connecting the tank and outlet; a supply device to forcibly supply the liquid in the tank to the inner passage; a restrictor valve to restrict a liquid amount flowing through the return passage; and a controller to drive the supply device while placing the restrictor valve in an open state, where the liquid in the tank returns back thereto via the supply passage, the inner passage, and the return passage, in order, and to drive the supply device to keep circulation and control the restrictor valve to restrict, during the circulation, the amount of the liquid that flows through the return passage, for discharging the liquid from the ejection opening.