Ink-jet Recording Apparatus Conveyor Belt Load Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Ink-jet recording apparatuses face issues with conveyor belt load and synchronization due to electrostatic attraction, leading to motor load, slippage, and potential breakage when the conveyor belt starts moving or rotating.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus applies a voltage between comb electrodes after the conveyor belt initiates movement, increasing the attractive force and eliminating electric charge using a gradually decreasing alternating voltage, reducing the load on the conveyor belt and allowing for a smaller motor to be used.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If voltage is applied between comb electrodes before conveyor belt movement to attract recording medium, then electrostatic attraction is improved, but motor load increases causing synchronization loss and belt slippage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by eliminating electric charge from the conveyor belt before movement starts, and by initiating conveyor belt movement before applying voltage for electrostatic attraction. This sequencing ensures the belt moves freely without excessive load, then attraction is established once movement is underway, resolving the contradiction between reliable attraction and acceptable motor load.
2Reliability
If voltage is applied between comb electrodes to eliminate electric charge before conveyor belt movement, then charge elimination is improved, but motor load increases causing synchronization loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses preliminary action by eliminating electric charge from the conveyor belt before movement begins, ensuring the belt is electrically neutral and will not experience excessive attractive forces during startup. This preliminary charge elimination, followed by delayed voltage application for attraction, maintains both reliable charge management and proper conveyor belt speed control without synchronization loss.
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 solution reduces the load on the conveyor belt and motor, preventing slippage and breakage, while ensuring efficient electrostatic attraction and quick charge elimination, thereby improving the reliability and efficiency of the ink-jet recording process.
Implementation Method 1
the recording medium is electrostatically attracted to the conveyor belt for preventing conveyance failure due to contact of the recording medium with the ink-jet head
Implementation Method 2
a voltage-application power source configured to apply a voltage between the pair of comb electrodes
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An ink-jet recording apparatus, including: an ink-jet head (2) having an ejection surface; a conveyor mechanism (50) having a conveyor belt (53) with a conveyor surface (54) and a belt drive mechanism (51, 52) for moving the conveyor belt and configured to convey a recording medium; a pair of comb electrodes (62a, 62b) disposed so as to be opposed to the ejection surface, each comb electrode including a plurality of electrode portions, the electrode portions of one and the other of the comb electrodes being alternately arranged; a voltage-application power source (63) for applying a voltage between the comb electrodes; and a controller (100) having an attraction control portion (102, 110) for controlling the power source so as to attract the medium to the conveyor surface, wherein the attraction control portion is configured to control the power source such that the voltage is applied between the comb electrodes after initiation of the movement of the conveyor belt by the belt drive mechanism.