Ink Head Heat Sink and Damper Layout for Pressure Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses lack a heat sink to cool the control circuit of the ink head, leading to uneven ink discharge stability due to pressure fluctuations caused by the arrangement of dampers relative to the heat sink, resulting in inconsistent ink flow.
Innovation Solution
Integrate a heat sink on the ink head with dampers positioned directly above it, ensuring the ink flow channels are short and uniform, and use bypass channels to maintain consistent internal pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heat sink is provided on the ink head to cool the control circuit, then the control circuit can operate stably, but the positions of the dampers must be shifted from the heat sink, causing large differences in ink flow channel lengths and pressure fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions dampers in the sub-scanning direction (width direction) rather than only in the main scanning direction (length direction). This dimensional shift allows dampers to be arranged around the heat sink area, maintaining short ink flow channels while accommodating the heat sink's presence. The ink flow channels extend primarily in the vertical direction from dampers to ink head, minimizing horizontal length variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates different functional zones: the central area contains the heat sink for thermal management, while the peripheral areas (particularly in the sub-scanning direction) contain dampers for pressure control. This spatial differentiation allows each component to perform its function optimally without interfering with the other, maintaining both control circuit stability and ink discharge consistency.
2Reliability
If dampers are arranged to cover the entire ink head length in the movement direction, then ink supply coverage is improved, but the lengths of ink flow channels become uneven causing pressure fluctuations during head movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from arranging dampers primarily in the main scanning direction (length) to arranging them in the sub-scanning direction (width). This dimensional change allows multiple dampers to be positioned across the width of the ink head, providing comprehensive coverage while keeping the vertical distance to ink inlets uniform, thus minimizing pressure fluctuations during movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the ink flow channels to have substantially equal lengths from each damper to its corresponding ink inlet. This creates equipotential conditions for ink flow, ensuring that pressure variations during head movement are minimized. The uniform channel lengths compensate for the acceleration and deceleration effects during scanning, maintaining consistent ink supply pressure across all nozzles.
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
Stabilizes ink discharge by maintaining a constant internal pressure, reducing pressure fluctuations, and ensuring efficient ink distribution to nozzles.
Implementation Method 1
a heat sink on an upper surface of the ink head and configured to dissipate heat transferred from the ink head into the atmosphere
Implementation Method 2
dissipate heat transferred from the ink head
Implementation Method 3
dissipate heat transferred from the ink head into the atmosphere
Implementation Method 4
a damper that directly above the ink head with the heat sink interposed therebetween, integrated with the ink head, and configured to store the ink to be supplied to the ink head
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an ink head including nozzles to discharge ink onto a medium, a heat sink on an upper surface of the ink head, and dampers directly above the ink head with the heat sink interposed therebetween. The ink head is movable in a direction in which printing is performed on the medium. The heat sink is configured to dissipate heat transferred from the ink head into the atmosphere. The dampers are integrated with the ink head and are configured to store the ink to be supplied to the ink head.