Ink Storage Tank Agitator for Nanorod Dispersion Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet printer storage tanks struggle to maintain the desired dispersibility of nanorods, which are larger in size and more difficult to agitate compared to quantum dot materials, leading to reduced inkjet printing efficiency and precision in display device manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
An ink storage tank with a horizontal rotary shaft agitator and a concavely curved bottom surface, combined with a magnetic rotation drive unit and blades with varying through-holes, effectively agitates nanorods to maintain their dispersibility and prevent excessive ink flow, ensuring precise inkjet printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a conventional bar type agitator is used in the ink storage tank, then the structure is simple, but the dispersibility of nanorods cannot be maintained due to insufficient agitation capability
Solution Approach 1:
The agitator is divided into multiple blades (first blade, second blade, third blade) arranged at different positions and angles around the rotary shaft. Each blade has a specific shape and orientation designed to create different flow patterns, collectively providing comprehensive agitation coverage throughout the ink storage tank to maintain nanorod dispersibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a conventional vertical bar type agitator to a horizontal rotary shaft agitator with blades extending in multiple directions. This dimensional change allows the agitator to effectively agitate ink in three-dimensional space, significantly improving the ability to maintain nanorod dispersibility while operating under negative pressure conditions.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the ink storage tank is maintained at negative pressure to prevent ink flow, then ink flow is controlled, but the agitator cannot sufficiently mix the ink
Solution Approach 1:
The agitator employs a dynamic rotating blade structure with optimized blade shapes and angles that create effective fluid motion patterns. The horizontal rotary shaft configuration with multiple strategically positioned blades generates sufficient mixing action to maintain nanorod dispersibility even under negative pressure conditions, overcoming the limitation of conventional static or simple rotating agitators.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a horizontal rotary shaft agitator with multiple blades is used, then nanorod dispersibility is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each blade of the agitator is designed with specific local characteristics - different shapes, angles, and positions (first blade, second blade, third blade) - to create targeted flow patterns in different regions of the ink storage tank. This local optimization ensures effective nanorod dispersibility maintenance throughout the entire ink volume while keeping the overall structure manageable.
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 enhances the dispersibility of nanorods within the ink, improving the precision and efficiency of the inkjet printing process by effectively agitating and maintaining the desired distribution of nanorods, reducing energy waste and preventing ink flow issues.
Implementation Method 1
a rotation drive unit configured to rotate the rotary shaft
Implementation Method 2
a bottom surface of the ink storage space has a concavely curved shape corresponding to a trace of outer edges of each of the rotating blades
Implementation Method 3
it is typical to position an ink storage tank higher than that of the inkjet head and to generate a negative pressure inside the ink storage tank
Implementation Method 4
maintain the ink in a meniscus state in which the surface of the ink ready for ejection from the inkjet head has a concave shape due to capillary action with respect to a nozzle inlet
Data Source
AI summary
Proposed is an ink storage tank that stores ink to supply the ink to an inkjet head equipped with a plurality of nozzles configured to eject the ink, the tank including an agitator configured to agitate the ink in an ink storage space defined in a housing of the ink storage tank, where the agitator includes a rotary shaft horizontally installed in the ink storage space, one or more blades that protrude outward from the rotary shaft, and a rotation drive unit configured to rotate the rotary shaft, and where the bottom surface of the ink storage space has a concavely curved shape corresponding to the trace of the outer edges of the rotating blades. The ink storage tank has an effect of maintaining desired dispersibility of particles in ink due to the agitator having the horizontal rotary shaft and the concavely curved bottom surface of the ink storage space.