Inkjet Circulation Head Dynamic Tank Role Switching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet recording devices face challenges in maintaining a constant ink flow due to changes in water head pressures, making it difficult to keep the ink flow consistent, especially during ink replenishment, which can lead to uneven drying of printed materials.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejection device with a circulation head and multiple ink tanks, each with independent inlet/outlet ports and valves, a pressure regulation control unit, and an opening/closing valve control unit, allowing for dynamic pressure regulation and valve control to maintain a constant ink flow by switching the roles of ink tanks as supply sources and destinations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ink is caused to flow using a difference in water head pressures between the ink tank serving as the supply source and the meniscus pressure tank, then the ink can flow through the circulation head, but the flow of the ink changes as water head values change in accordance with changes in the amount of ink, making it difficult to keep the flow constant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the roles of ink tanks switchable between supply source and supply destination. The system dynamically adjusts which tank serves which function based on real-time pressure and flow conditions, allowing the water head difference to be maintained optimally for constant ink flow through the circulation head despite changes in ink amounts
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of tank role assignment (supply source vs. supply destination) based on water head pressure conditions. By switching which tank serves as supply source and which serves as supply destination, the system maintains optimal pressure differential for constant ink flow, resolving the issue of flow variation due to changing ink amounts
2Stability of the object's composition
If printing is stopped in the middle of printing to adjust the water head values or to perform the ink replenishment, then the ink flow can be adjusted, but drying becomes uneven in a printed material in a discontinuous manner
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous printing operation by allowing ink replenishment to occur without stopping the printing process. The circulation head continues to receive constant ink flow from the switchable tank system while one or more tanks are replenished, eliminating interruptions and ensuring uniform drying of printed materials
Solution Approach 2:
The circulation head acts as an intermediary that maintains constant ink flow to the print nozzles regardless of the state of individual ink tanks. By decoupling the printing operation from the replenishment operation through this intermediary flow system, continuous printing can proceed while tanks are replenished in the background
3Device complexity
If roles of the ink tank serving as the supply source, the meniscus pressure tank, and the main tank are fixed, then the system structure is simple, but ink replenishment can only be performed in the main tank, reducing flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes all ink tanks multi-functional by enabling any tank to serve as either supply source or supply destination depending on conditions. This universal role assignment allows any tank to be replenished at any time, providing flexibility in ink replenishment operations while maintaining a relatively simple system structure without adding complex switching mechanisms
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
Enables convenient ink replenishment and maintains a consistent ink flow, preventing uneven drying by dynamically managing pressure and valve operations across the ink tanks.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure regulation control unit configured to regulate, for each of the ink tanks, a pressure in each of the ink tanks
Implementation Method 2
an opening/closing valve control unit configured to control, for each of the ink tanks, opening and closing of each of the opening/closing valves
Data Source
AI summary
A circulation head includes an upstream port and a downstream port that are in communication with a pressure chamber, and includes three ink tanks (first to third tanks). Each of the ink tanks (the first to third tanks) includes an ink inlet/outlet port that is in communication with the upstream port and the downstream port, and an opening/closing valve that independently opens and closes the ink inlet/outlet port of each of the ink tanks (the first to third tanks) with respect to the upstream port and the downstream port.