Inkjet Recording Device Drum Temperature Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional inkjet image recording devices face issues with image quality due to slippage between the transfer drum and recording medium, requiring complex and costly cleaning systems, and struggle to maintain consistent image quality across various recording media.

Innovation Solution

An inkjet recording device that maintains the image forming drum at a predetermined temperature, allowing direct image formation on the recording medium, eliminating the need for transfer and thus avoiding image deterioration, and includes multiple heating units to quickly adjust temperatures based on medium thickness and type for consistent dot spread and gloss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an intermediate transfer method is used with a transfer drum, then image formation can be performed, but slippage between the transfer drum and recording medium occurs causing image quality deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidcleaning system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the transfer drum from the image forming system. By performing direct inkjet image formation on the recording medium without an intermediate transfer drum, the patent removes the source of slippage-related image quality problems and eliminates the need for cleaning systems, thereby resolving the technical contradiction between reliability and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Manufacturing precision

If heating is applied to maintain ink viscosity, then bleed and beading are prevented, but temperature control complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage quality consistencyVSAvoidtemperature control system
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the temperature parameter dynamically based on recording medium thickness and type. By using multiple heating units with different power levels and controlling their operation based on detected medium properties, the system maintains optimal ink viscosity and image quality while avoiding unnecessary heating complexity for standard media.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple heating units are used to quickly adjust temperatures for different media, then image quality consistency improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to various recording mediaVSAvoidheating system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention performs preliminary detection of recording medium thickness and type before image formation. Based on this advance information, the system pre-configures the appropriate heating unit operation, allowing rapid temperature adjustment without trial-and-error heating and eliminating the need for complex real-time temperature monitoring during the actual printing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 ensures high-quality images with consistent smoothness and gloss, reduces the need for cleaning systems, and allows for rapid temperature adjustments to accommodate various recording media, enhancing operational efficiency and image quality.

Implementation Method 1

maintains the image forming drum at a predetermined temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

heat the image forming drum

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

ejects energy-ray curable ink onto a recording medium to record images

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotopolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentEP2650132B1Inkjet recording device
Publication Date: 2019.10.16 KONICA MINOLTA INC
  • EP2650132B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2650132B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2650132B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An inkjet recording device (1A) is provided with an image forming drum (21), a recording medium feeding means (22), a recording head (51), a first heating unit (71) that heats the recording medium prior to recording by the recording head held on the image forming drum, a drum temperature detecting means (91) that detects the temperature of the image forming drum, and a heating control means (10) for controlling the first heating unit, wherein the heating control means performs heating control of the first heating unit such that the temperature detected by the drum temperature detecting means is within a predetermined image forming drum set temperature range. Provided are a second heating unit (72) that heats the outer circumference surface of the image forming drum, a heating unit temperature detecting means (92), the drum temperature detecting means (91), and the heating control means (10) that performs heating control of the first heating unit such that the heating unit temperature detecting means detects a heating unit set temperature range, and that performs heating control of the second heating unit such that the drum temperature detecting means detects an image forming drum set temperature range. This enables image formation of a high image quality to be performed.