Ink Jet Printer Retaining Member for 3D Object Printing

Solution Overview

Problem

Ink jet printers face challenges in achieving high accuracy when printing on three-dimensional objects with complex shapes, such as smartphone covers, due to difficulties in maintaining a consistent gap distance between the ink jet head and the object, leading to issues with cost and print quality.

Innovation Solution

An ink jet printer system with a print object retaining member that includes a shaft member and a three-dimensional object fixing member, allowing for precise rotation and positioning of the object to maintain a gap distance of 1.0 to 1.5 mm between the ink jet head and the print surfaces, using a rotation stopping mechanism and a retaining section-driving mechanism to adjust the ink jet head's position relative to the object.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a rotating means is used to print on multiple surfaces, then printing on both main and side surfaces becomes possible, but control of rotation angle and gap distance becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting capability on multiple surfacesVSAvoidcontrol of rotation angle and gap distance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the print object retaining section rotatable around a shaft member, allowing the object to be dynamically repositioned between different printing positions. The rotation mechanism enables transition from printing on the main surface to printing on side surfaces by rotating the object to appropriate angles, thus achieving multi-surface printing capability while maintaining controllable rotation through a dedicated driving section.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism - the retaining section-driving section - that mediates between the control system and the print object. This intermediary component responsible for rotating the print object around the shaft member, providing precise control over rotation angle and gap distance, thereby simplifying the overall control system while achieving accurate multi-surface printing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If the gap distance is reduced to 1.0-1.5 mm for high accuracy printing, then printing precision improves, but maintaining constant gap distance on three-dimensional objects becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting accuracyVSAvoidconstant gap distance maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the print object retaining section rotatable around a shaft member, allowing the object to be dynamically repositioned between different printing positions. The rotation mechanism enables transition from printing on the main surface to printing on side surfaces by rotating the object to appropriate angles, thus achieving multi-surface printing capability while maintaining controllable rotation through a dedicated driving section.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism - the retaining section-driving section - that mediates between the control system and the print object. This intermediary component responsible for rotating the print object around the shaft member, providing precise control over rotation angle and gap distance, thereby simplifying the overall control system while achieving accurate multi-surface printing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9434180B2Ink jet printer, print object retaining member, and print method

Publication Date: 2016.09.06 MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO LTD

AI summary

An ink jet printer that appropriately performs printing with high accuracy on a three-dimensional object for a portable terminal is provided. The ink jet printer includes an ink jet head that discharges ink droplets, and a print object retaining section that retains a three-dimensional objects. The print object retaining section includes a shaft member extending in a direction perpendicularly intersecting a discharging direction of the ink droplets, a housing section being a shaft retaining section that retains the shaft member in a rotatable manner, a work set member being a three-dimensional object fixing member that is a fixing member fixing the three-dimensional objects relative to the shaft member, and causes the three-dimensional objects to rotate together with the shaft member by being fixed relative to the shaft member, and a rotation driving section being a rotation stopping means for stopping rotation of the shaft member at a predeterminedly set position.