Ink Jet Gutter with Exhaust Circulation Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet recording devices face challenges in maintaining stable ink concentration due to solvent volatilization and inefficient ink recovery, leading to environmental pollution and unstable printing results, especially when using multiple nozzles, as existing technologies struggle with solvent vapor circulation and gutter design.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a gutter with a dual-component structure featuring a circular ink flow path and an exhaust flow path block, with a connecting port between the ink inflow and collision plane, preventing backflow and splash, and a solvent vapor circulation system that recovers and recirculates solvent vapor within the device, eliminating external discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If exhaust gas is continuously circulated, then solvent vapor saturation increases and printing stability improves, but ink concentration control becomes difficult and printing quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system periodically discharges exhaust gas instead of continuous circulation. The control unit switches between circulation mode (when ink concentration is high) and discharge mode (when ink concentration is low), creating periodic action that maintains both printing stability and ink concentration control within desired ranges
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit monitors ink concentration in real-time and adjusts the exhaust gas flow accordingly. When ink concentration drops below a threshold, the system increases exhaust discharge to remove excess solvent vapor; when concentration is sufficient, the system switches to circulation mode, creating a feedback-controlled system that maintains optimal printing conditions
2Device complexity
If gutter connection positions are not optimized, then device complexity is reduced, but ink backflow and overflow occur causing environmental pollution
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust flow path is designed with a curved shape rather than straight connections. This curved configuration allows the exhaust flow to smoothly follow the gutter contour, preventing abrupt changes in flow direction that cause ink backflow and overflow, while maintaining relatively simple connection structures
Solution Approach 2:
The exhaust flow path acts as an intermediary element between the ink container and gutter. It mediates the interaction between exhaust gas flow and ink flow, using its curved geometry to guide exhaust vapor along the gutter and prevent direct conflict with ink flow paths, thereby eliminating pollution without complex connection mechanisms
3Productivity
If single device has two nozzles, then productivity increases, but solvent vapor circulation becomes unbalanced and ink recovery deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust gas flow path is segmented into separate paths for each nozzle, with independent connection points to the gutter. This segmentation allows balanced solvent vapor circulation for multiple nozzles, preventing unbalanced flow that would cause ink recovery deterioration, while maintaining high productivity through continuous printing capability
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 stabilizes ink recovery, prevents environmental pollution, and ensures efficient solvent vapor circulation, maintaining desired ink concentration and preventing overflow, even with multiple nozzles, by effectively managing solvent vapor and ink flow within the device.
Implementation Method 1
an exhaust circulation path which connects the ink container and the gutter
Implementation Method 2
by sucking them using negative pressure to recover them into an ink container
Data Source
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AI summary
An ink jet recording device, comprises: a main body equipped with an ink container which accumulate ink, an ink supply pump which supplies the ink, an ink recovery pump which recovers the ink, and a control unit; a printing head equipped with a nozzle which jets the ink supplied from the main body as ink particles, an electrification electrode which electrifies the ink particles, a deflection electrode which deflects the electrified ink particles, and a gutter which collects ink particles which are not used for printing; and a cable in which an ink supply flow path for supplying the ink from the main body to the printing head, an ink recovery flow path for returning the ink particles collected by the gutter into the ink container, an exhaust circulation path which connects the ink container and the gutter, and various signal lines for connecting the control unit and the printing head, are arranged. The gutter comprises two members of an ink flow path block in which ink flows, and exhaust flow path block in which exhaust solvent vapor flows.