Ink Formulation via Removable Reservoir Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printing mechanisms face issues with nozzle clogging and ink evaporation during storage and shipping due to the interaction of printing fluid with the container, leading to unreliable ink performance and increased waste.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a shipping material with lower colorant content, which is mixed with concentrated ink to create a print-ready ink, reducing evaporation and clogging risks, and facilitating efficient startup and printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If printing fluid is stored in the printhead during shipping and storage, then the printing mechanism is ready for immediate use, but the printing fluid reacts with the container, evaporates, and clogs the nozzle orifices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the printing fluid from the printhead during shipping and storage by using a removable reservoir that can be detached. This separation prevents the printing fluid from being in contact with the printhead nozzle orifices during transport, eliminating the harmful effects of evaporation and clogging while maintaining readiness for immediate use upon installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-filling the removable reservoir with printing fluid before shipping. This allows the fluid to be prepared in advance in a separate container that protects it from evaporation and chemical reactions with the printhead, while still being ready for immediate installation and use.
2Productivity
If printing fluid is stored in the printhead during shipping, then the mechanism is ready for immediate printing, but the printing fluid becomes more concentrated due to evaporation
Solution Approach 1:
The removable reservoir design extracts the printing fluid from the printhead during shipping, preventing evaporation that would concentrate the ink. The fluid remains at proper concentration in the separate reservoir until installation, ensuring both immediate printing readiness and correct ink concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and location parameter of the printing fluid by transferring it from a sealed reservoir during shipping to the printhead after installation. This parameter change prevents evaporation during transport while maintaining the fluid's original concentration, avoiding the harmful concentration effect.
3Reliability
If printing fluid is stored in the printhead during shipping, then the mechanism is ready for use, but the printing fluid reacts with the printing fluid container
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the printing fluid from direct contact with the printhead container during shipping by using a separate, removable reservoir. This physical separation prevents chemical reactions between the printing fluid and the printhead container materials, maintaining fluid stability while still enabling immediate use upon installation.
4Manufacturing precision
If concentrated ink is used in the printhead, then printing quality is improved, but evaporation and clogging risks increase during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The removable reservoir design extracts concentrated ink from the printhead during shipping and storage, maintaining print quality benefits of concentrated ink while eliminating the increased evaporation and clogging risks. The concentrated ink remains protected in the sealed reservoir until installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-filling the removable reservoir with concentrated ink at the proper concentration for high-quality printing. This allows the concentrated ink to be prepared in advance in a protected environment, maintaining both print quality and nozzle reliability by preventing evaporation and clogging during transport.
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 ensures reliable ink performance by minimizing evaporation and clogging, reducing waste, and enhancing print quality, while allowing for easy refilling of printhead components without replacement.
Implementation Method 1
a pump (22) connected to the valve (18) by a fluid line (24)
Implementation Method 2
suffer from evaporation wherein during use the printing fluid would be more concentrated than desired
Data Source
AI summary
One method of ink formulation may include providing a shipping material in a reservoir of a printing mechanism, placing a concentrated ink in communication with the reservoir, and mixing the shipping material and the concentrated ink together to create a print-ready ink.