Inkjet Printer Dual Heating System for Viscosity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet printers experience uneven ink viscosity within the inkjet head due to temperature fluctuations, leading to inconsistent ink droplet discharge and degraded image quality.
Innovation Solution
An inkjet printer design incorporating an in-head ink heating unit and an out-of-head ink heating device that heats the ink supply passage, ensuring consistent ink temperature and viscosity, with the out-of-head device configured to maintain temperature uniformity and compactness, and allowing for easy replacement of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ink is heated by a heater inside the inkjet head, then ink viscosity is reduced and discharge is improved, but temperature unevenness occurs in the ink inside the inkjet head leading to viscosity unevenness and degraded image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is segmented into two separate locations: an out-of-head ink heating device that heats ink in the supply passage before it enters the inkjet head, and an in-head ink heating unit that provides additional heating inside the inkjet head. This segmentation allows the bulk heating to occur outside the head where temperature uniformity is easier to maintain, while the in-head heater provides localized heating without causing significant temperature gradients.
Solution Approach 2:
The out-of-head ink heating device performs preliminary heating of the ink before it enters the inkjet head. By heating the ink in advance in the supply passage, the ink arrives at the inkjet head with a more uniform temperature, reducing the temperature unevenness that would otherwise occur when cold ink enters and cools the heated ink inside the head.
2Stability of the object's composition
If out-of-head ink heating device is added, then temperature uniformity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The out-of-head ink heating device and the in-head ink heating unit are merged into a coordinated heating system where both components work together to heat the ink. The out-of-head device handles the bulk heating in the supply passage, while the in-head unit provides supplementary heating, and their combined effect achieves temperature uniformity without requiring either component to be overly complex.
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 configuration enhances image quality by maintaining consistent ink droplet discharge accuracy across nozzles and allows for a more compact and easily maintainable out-of-head ink heating system.
Implementation Method 1
an out-of-head ink heating device that heats ink in an ink supply passage to the inkjet head at outside of the inkjet head
Implementation Method 2
an in-head ink heating unit that heats ink inside the inkjet head
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet printer that can improve image quality of printing than in a conventional technique is to be provided. An inkjet printer includes an inkjet head 40 that discharges ink droplets toward a print medium; an in-head ink heating unit that heats ink inside the inkjet head 40; and an out-of-head ink heating device 68 that heats ink in an ink supply passage to the inkjet head 40 at outside of the inkjet head 40, and the out-of-head ink heating device 68 is arranged at a position where the heated ink is supplied to the inkjet head 40.