Inkjet Printer Ink Circulation Pressure Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers with ink circulation systems experience unstable ink ejection and degraded image quality due to variations in pressures within the positive and negative pressure tanks, caused by concurrent ink delivery and pressure regulation operations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a controller to manage the ink delivery and pressure regulation operations separately in time, ensuring that ink supply and pressure adjustments are performed independently to stabilize nozzle pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ink delivery operation and pressure regulation operation are performed concurrently, then productivity is improved, but nozzle pressure stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The controller divides the ink circulation system into separate operational phases: ink delivery operation and pressure regulation operation. These operations are executed alternately rather than simultaneously, segmenting the control functions to prevent interference between liquid level changes and pressure adjustments, thereby maintaining nozzle pressure stability while ensuring continuous ink circulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller implements periodic alternating operations between ink delivery and pressure regulation. The ink deliverer operates during designated periods to transfer ink, followed by pressure regulator operation periods to adjust tank pressures. This periodic alternation ensures that each operation completes fully before the other begins, preventing concurrent interference and maintaining system stability.
2Quantity of substance
If ink delivery operation is performed, then ink circulation is maintained, but nozzle pressure variation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs preliminary pressure regulation before ink delivery operations begin. By adjusting the pressures in the positive and negative pressure tanks to target values before the ink deliverer operates, the system ensures that pressure stability is established in advance. This preliminary action prevents pressure variations during the critical ink delivery phase, maintaining both circulation and print quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure regulator uses feedback from pressure sensors monitoring the positive and negative pressure tanks to adjust tank pressures dynamically. The controller receives pressure information, compares it with target values, and controls the pressure regulator to maintain appropriate pressures during and between ink delivery operations, thereby stabilizing nozzle pressure and ensuring consistent print quality.
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 effectively reduces nozzle pressure variations, thereby enhancing the stability of ink ejection and improving the quality of printed images.
Implementation Method 1
the air pump applies a positive pressure and a negative pressure respectively to a positive pressure tank and a negative pressure tank, the positive pressure tank being disposed upstream of the inkjet head, the negative pressure tank being disposed downstream of the inkjet head. When such an inkjet printer performs printing, the air pump applies a positive pressure and a negative pressure respectively to the positive pressure tank and the negative pressure tank
Implementation Method 2
the ink is delivered from the negative pressure tank to the positive pressure tank by an ink pump according to the liquid level heights in the positive pressure tank and the negative pressure tank
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet printer includes: an inkjet head including a nozzle configured to eject ink; a positive pressure tank configured to store the ink to be supplied to the inkjet head; a negative pressure tank configured to receive the ink not consumed by the inkjet head; an ink deliverer configured to deliver the ink from the negative pressure tank to the positive pressure tank; a pressure regulator configured to regulate pressures of the positive pressure tank and the negative pressure tank; and a controller configured to control the ink deliverer and the pressure regulator such that an ink delivery operation by the ink deliverer and a pressure regulation operation by the pressure regulator are performed separately in time.