Ink Jet Apparatus Floating Suppression for Fixing Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ink jet recording apparatuses face issues with ensuring proper fixing processing of recording media after image recording, particularly due to curvature or movement-related problems that lead to inappropriate temperature control and quality issues.
Innovation Solution
An ink jet recording apparatus is designed with a floating suppressor and suction mechanism to stabilize the recording medium on a conveyance surface, using a second conveyer with end pressing rollers to prevent floating and ensure accurate fixing, while maintaining temperature control through a conveyer heater and UV light emission for ink hardening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the recording medium is moved from the first conveyance surface to the second conveyance surface for fixing operation, then the fixing processing can be performed separately, but the recording medium may float due to curvature and placement problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
A floating suppresser is introduced as an intermediary component between the recording medium and the second conveyance surface. This suppresser temporarily holds down the recording medium during placement, preventing floating caused by curvature, and then retracts to allow the recording medium to be properly positioned for fixing operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The floating suppresser performs a preliminary action by suppressing floating before the recording medium is fully placed on the second conveyance surface. This preliminary suppression ensures proper placement occurs without floating interference, after which the suppresser retracts.
2Device complexity
If drying and fixing configurations are provided on the same conveyance surface, then device complexity is reduced, but temperature control becomes difficult due to heat transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance system is segmented into at least two separate conveyance surfaces: a first conveyance surface for image recording and drying operations, and a second conveyance surface for fixing operations. This segmentation allows independent temperature control of each surface, preventing heat from the fixing operation from affecting the recording medium during image formation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the suppression range includes the recording width range, then floating is suppressed, but ink landing is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The floating suppresser is designed with local quality differentiation: it provides suppression force in areas where floating occurs (typically edges or non-recording areas) while maintaining a clear recording width range where ink can land without interference. This localized suppression approach ensures stability where needed without affecting ink placement precision.
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 apparatus ensures reliable and uniform fixing processing by preventing floating and maintaining temperature stability, allowing for high-quality image recording and fixing operations even with varying recording medium sizes.
Implementation Method 1
an image recorder that is provided with a nozzle which ejects ink
Implementation Method 2
a UV curable ink which is hardened by emission of ultraviolet rays (UV light)
Implementation Method 3
maintaining temperature control through a conveyer heater
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an ink jet recording apparatus capable of easily and more reliably performing fixation processing on a recording medium moved after image recording. The ink jet recording apparatus is provided with: an image forming unit (12) that ejects ink; a first conveyance unit (11) that conveys a recording medium (P) on which the ejected ink is to land and relatively moves the same with respect to the image forming unit; a fixation unit (24) that fixes the ink that has landed on the recording medium; a second conveyance unit (21) that conveys the recording medium on which the ink to be fixed has landed and relatively moves the same with respect to the fixation unit; and a first end pressing roller (215) and a second end pressing roller (216) which serve as a floating suppression unit that suppresses, from the ink-landed surface side, floating of the recording medium from a recording medium conveyance surface in the second conveyance unit. The floating suppression unit suppresses the floating of the recording medium in a suppression range that can be changed and set so as not to include a recording width range in which the image forming unit causes the ink to land on the recording medium.