Inkjet Carriage Drying for Absorber Pad Life Extension
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Solution Overview
Problem
The absorbing member in liquid ejecting devices, such as inkjet printers, is consumed rapidly due to frequent maintenance operations, leading to increased maintenance costs and potential clogging issues.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a drying unit at the carriage to dry the absorbing member during stop positions, reducing the consumption rate of the absorbing member by effectively drying it after maintenance operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the frequency of maintenance operation increases, then the reliability of the ejecting unit is improved, but the consumption amount of the absorbing member increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drying unit performs preliminary drying action on the absorbing member during printing operations (when the ejecting unit is at stop position). This preliminary drying prevents the absorbing member from becoming saturated with liquid too quickly, thereby extending its service life and reducing consumption while maintaining the ability to perform frequent maintenance operations for reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The drying unit enables continuous useful action by utilizing printing time (stop positions) to dry the absorbing member. This creates a continuous cycle where the absorbing member is used for maintenance, then dried during printing, allowing frequent maintenance operations without increasing absorbing member consumption
2Duration of action of stationary object
If a separate drying configuration is added for the absorbing member, then the lifespan of the absorbing member is extended, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drying unit is designed with multi-functionality, serving both to dry the medium after printing and to dry the absorbing member during stop positions. This universal approach extends the absorbing member lifespan without adding a separate dedicated drying system, thereby avoiding increased device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The drying unit utilizes existing operational periods (printing stop positions) to dry the absorbing member, making the system self-servicing. This approach extends absorbing member lifespan without requiring additional dedicated drying configurations, maintaining device complexity at acceptable levels
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
Reduces the consumption rate of the absorbing member by efficiently drying it during printing and maintenance, minimizing the need for additional drying configurations and extending the lifespan of the absorbing member.
Implementation Method 1
The drying unit dries the absorbing member when the ejecting unit is positioned, during the printing, at a stop position
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting device includes an ejecting unit that includes a nozzle surface at which at least one nozzle is open and that ejects a liquid onto a medium from the at least one nozzle, a carriage that is mounted with the ejecting unit and that reciprocates in a scanning direction, a drying unit that is mounted at the carriage and that dries the liquid ejected onto the medium by the ejecting unit, and a receiving unit that receives the liquid discharged from the at least one nozzle as a result of a maintenance operation for the ejecting unit. The receiving unit includes an absorbing member that absorbs the liquid. The drying unit dries the absorbing member when the ejecting unit is positioned, during printing, at a stop position at which the ejecting unit stops.