Ink Jet Nozzle Cleaning with Core-Shell Resin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet recording apparatuses face issues with nozzle clogging due to the thickening of ink, especially when printing on plastic surfaces, as the resin in the ink adheres to the nozzle surfaces and is difficult to wipe off, potentially damaging the liquid repellent film.
Innovation Solution
An ink jet recording apparatus is designed with an ink composition containing a core-shell resin and a maintenance liquid, where the resin has a glass transition temperature difference with the shell polymer, and a driving mechanism that applies a controlled pressure to an absorption member to effectively wipe and clean the nozzles, maintaining the liquid repellent film.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fabric wiper with maintenance liquid is used to wipe the nozzle surface, then the wiping ease is improved, but the resin attached to the nozzle surface is not easily removed and the liquid repellent film may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical-chemical parameters of the resin by controlling the glass transition temperature difference between core and shell polymers. This parameter change enables the resin to be easily removed during wiping while protecting the liquid repellent film, resolving the contradiction between wiping ease and film integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a core-shell resin structure where the core polymer and shell polymer have different glass transition temperatures. This composite material structure allows the resin to exhibit different properties under different conditions, enabling easy removal during cleaning while maintaining proper adhesion during printing.
2Productivity
If the pressing force of the fabric wiper is increased to peel the resin from the nozzle surface, then the resin removal effectiveness is improved, but the liquid repellent film is peeled off and subsequent discharging is adversely influenced
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the glass transition temperature parameters of the resin polymers, the invention enables effective resin removal at lower pressing forces. This prevents damage to the liquid repellent film while maintaining resin removal effectiveness, thus preserving subsequent discharging performance.
3Productivity
If ink with faster drying speed is used for printing on plastic recording medium, then the printing performance is improved, but nozzle clogging due to ink hardening occurs more easily
Solution Approach 1:
The core-shell resin structure with differentiated glass transition temperatures creates a material that dries quickly on the recording medium while remaining removable from the nozzle surface. The shell polymer provides fast drying performance, while the core polymer ensures easy removal during cleaning cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
By precisely controlling the glass transition temperature parameters of both core and shell polymers, the invention achieves a balance between drying speed and clogging resistance. The parameter optimization allows the ink to harden sufficiently for plastic adhesion while maintaining removability for nozzle cleaning.
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 excellent wiping and cleaning properties, prevents nozzle clogging, and maintains the integrity of the liquid repellent film, even when printing on plastic surfaces, thereby improving the reliability and quality of high-definition image recording.
Implementation Method 1
an absorption member that absorbs the ink composition attached to the discharge ports of the nozzles and the nozzle formation surface
Implementation Method 2
a driving mechanism that performs a cleaning operation by relatively moving at least one of the absorption member and the recording head, and removing the ink composition attached to the nozzle forming surface with the absorption member
Implementation Method 3
the resin is a core-shell resin provided with a core polymer and a shell polymer, and a glass-transition temperature of the shell polymer is higher than a glass-transition temperature of the core polymer
Implementation Method 4
a liquid repellent film formed on the nozzle surface
Data Source
AI summary
An ink jet recording apparatus includes an ink composition including a pigment and a resin and not substantially including an alkyl polyol with a standard boiling point of 280° or higher; a recording head including a plurality of nozzles that discharge the ink composition, and a nozzle forming surface having the discharge ports of the plurality of nozzles; an absorption member that absorbs the ink attached to the discharge ports of the nozzles and the nozzle formation surface; and a driving mechanism that performs a cleaning operation by relatively moving at least one of the absorption member and the recording head, and removing the ink composition attached to the nozzle forming surface with the absorption member, where the resin is a core-shell resin provided with a core polymer and a shell polymer, and a glass-transition temperature of the shell polymer is higher than a glass-transition temperature of the core polymer.