Ink Jet Recording Apparatus Suction Wiper Cleaning Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet recording methods face challenges in achieving high optical density and uniformity while maintaining effective sticking recovery properties, particularly with long line heads, where pigment aggregation leads to unevenness and reduced recovery efficiency due to differences in fluid resistance and ink viscosity across ejection orifices.
Innovation Solution
The method involves a suction wiper mechanism combining an elastic material and a suction unit to recover the ejection state of ink, with a flow path configuration allowing ink to flow between the ejection orifice and recording element, enabling simultaneous or sequential wiping and suction to maintain ink circulation and uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the aggregation of pigment is increased to enhance optical density, then the optical density of the recorded image is improved, but the reliability at the ejection surface deteriorates due to ink sticking and clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cleaning function into two distinct components: a wiper that physically removes stuck ink from the ejection surface, and a suction unit that simultaneously sucks away removed ink and excess ink near the ejection orifices. This segmentation prevents removed ink from re-sticking to the ejection surface while maintaining high pigment aggregation for optical density.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the wiper and suction unit into an integrated cleaning mechanism that operates simultaneously. The wiper removes stuck ink while the suction unit concurrently sucks away the removed ink and excess ink, creating a combined effect that prevents re-sticking and maintains ejection reliability without compromising optical density.
2Productivity
If the line head is made longer to increase recording speed, then the productivity is improved, but the recovery efficiency deteriorates due to reduced suction amount per ejection orifice
Solution Approach 1:
The patent distributes multiple suction openings along the suction unit corresponding to different sections of the long line head. Each suction opening serves a specific region, effectively copying the suction function across the entire length of the line head. This maintains adequate suction capacity per unit length even as the overall line head length increases for higher productivity.
3Reliability
If the suction force is strengthened to improve recovery efficiency, then the sticking recovery property is improved, but the consumption amount of ink increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the wiper's mechanical removal function with the suction unit's ink removal function. The wiper physically scrapes stuck ink off the ejection surface, reducing the suction force needed to completely remove ink. This combination improves sticking recovery while minimizing ink consumption compared to using suction alone with high force.
Solution Approach 2:
The wiper extracts stuck ink from the ejection surface through mechanical wiping action before the suction unit removes it completely. This two-stage extraction process reduces the burden on the suction unit, allowing for lower suction force that consumes less ink while still achieving effective sticking recovery.
4Device complexity
If a conventional cap suction method is used for recovery, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to uneven ink distribution across ejection orifices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different cleaning actions to different locations: the wiper contacts and removes stuck ink specifically at the ejection surface where pigment aggregation occurs, while the suction unit with distributed openings removes excess ink from various positions near the ejection orifices. This localized quality approach ensures uniform ink distribution across all ejection orifices, improving manufacturing precision while maintaining reasonable device complexity.
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 approach enhances sticking recovery properties and prevents image unevenness by maintaining consistent ink viscosity and fluid resistance across ejection orifices, allowing for high optical density images without the trade-offs of traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
a suction unit sucking the aqueous ink in the ejection orifices
Implementation Method 2
wiping a surface on which the ejection orifice array is formed in an arrangement direction of the ejection orifice array, with the suction wiper
Implementation Method 3
a recording element generating energy for ejecting the aqueous ink
Data Source
AI summary
The ink jet recording method is an ink jet recording method of recording an image on a recording medium using an ink jet recording apparatus including a recording head and a recovery mechanism for recovering an ejection state of pigment ink from ejection orifices. The recording head includes a first flow path and a second flow path allowing an ejection orifice and a recording element to communicate with each other and through which ink flows between the ejection orifice and the recording element. The ink jet recording method includes (i) a first cleaning of allowing the ink in the first flow path to flow to the second flow path while performing wiping and suction with a suction wiper; or (ii) a second cleaning of allowing the ink in the first flow path to flow to the second flow path after performing wiping and suction with a suction wiper.