Liquid Ejecting Device Ink Strike-Through Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing liquid ejecting devices face challenges with ink strike-through, where the ink penetrates through the medium to the reverse side, especially with diverse media and ink types, despite previous methods to suppress this issue.

Innovation Solution

A liquid ejecting device with a control unit that selects between a first printing mode applying ink without an inhibitor and a second printing mode applying an inhibitor to the medium, reducing ink amount per unit area in the second mode to inhibit penetration, and optionally using metal ions or saccharides as inhibitors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If ink is applied to the medium without an inhibitor, then image formation is achieved, but ink penetration to the reverse side occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink amount per unit areaVSAvoidink penetration

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

An inhibitor substance is introduced as an intermediary between the ink and the medium. This inhibitor prevents the color material in the ink from penetrating into the medium by acting as a barrier or modifying the interaction between ink and medium, thereby suppressing strike-through while allowing image formation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The application amount of ink per unit area is changed between printing modes. In the second printing mode, the ink amount is reduced to 70-90% of the first mode when inhibitor is applied, optimizing the balance between image quality and penetration prevention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If inhibitor is applied to the medium before ink, then ink penetration is inhibited, but image density may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink penetrationVSAvoidink amount per unit area

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The ink application amount is adjusted as a parameter based on the printing mode. When inhibitor is applied (second mode), the ink amount is reduced to 70-90% of the normal amount (first mode), creating an optimized balance between penetration prevention and maintaining sufficient image density

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If diverse media and ink types are used, then application versatility is improved, but ink strike-through occurs more frequently

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedium and ink type compatibilityVSAvoidink strike-through

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The inhibitor serves a universal function across diverse media and ink types. By applying the inhibitor before ink on various media types (paper, plastic, fabric, etc.), the system achieves consistent penetration prevention regardless of the specific medium or ink combination, making the solution broadly applicable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The inhibitor acts as a universal intermediary substance that mediates between diverse inks and diverse media. This intermediary approach allows the system to handle various ink-media combinations without strike-through, enhancing versatility while controlling the harmful effect

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Effectively suppresses ink strike-through by reducing ink application in the second printing mode, ensuring image quality on both sides of the medium while maintaining image formation on both surfaces.

Implementation Method 1

inhibitor for inhibiting penetration of the color material into the medium

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInhibition of penetration:

Data Source

PatentUS11020983B2Liquid ejecting device and liquid ejecting method

Publication Date: 2021.06.01 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

Provided is a liquid ejecting device that includes an ejecting unit configured to eject liquid and a control unit that performs control to apply the liquid to a medium. The ejecting unit is configured to eject, as the liquid, ink, that contains a color material, and inhibitor for inhibiting penetration of the color material into the medium. The control unit is configured to select a first printing mode in which applying the ink to the medium without applying the inhibitor to the medium, and a second printing mode in which applying the inhibitor to the medium and applying the ink to the medium applied with the inhibitor. The control unit causes an amount of the ink applied per unit area in the second printing mode to be smaller than an amount of the ink applied per unit area in the first printing mode.