Ink Jet Recording Apparatus Dust Control via UVLED Curing and Gas Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink jet recording technologies face challenges in achieving high-quality glossy prints due to dust attachment on ultraviolet-ray curable inks, which affects image quality and glossiness, especially during the curing process.
Innovation Solution
The ink jet recording apparatus incorporates a carriage with ink nozzles and ultraviolet-ray irradiation devices that use UVLEDs and partition plates to control ultraviolet ray irradiation, combined with air sucking or blowing devices to manage dust, ensuring proper curing and image quality across multiple passes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If ultraviolet-ray curable inks are ejected and cured on the recording medium, then image quality and glossiness are improved, but dust attaches to the inks during the curing process, degrading image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The air sucking device operates before ink ejection to remove dust from the recording medium surface. The blowing device blows gas toward the recording medium to prevent dust attachment during the curing process. These preliminary actions eliminate dust before it can contaminate the ultraviolet-ray curable inks, maintaining image quality and glossiness.
Solution Approach 2:
Gas (air or inert gas) is introduced as an intermediary substance between the recording medium and the ink droplets. The blowing device directs gas flow to create a protective barrier that prevents dust particles from attaching to the inks during curing, while the air sucking device removes dust from the environment before contamination can occur.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple passes are used to record bands, then complete image formation is achieved, but the complexity of controlling UV irradiation and ink ejection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The recording process is divided into multiple passes, each recording a specific band of the image. The controller independently controls ink ejection and UV irradiation for each pass, allowing precise control of which bands are recorded and cured in each pass. This segmentation enables complete image formation through systematic progression across multiple passes.
Solution Approach 2:
The ink ejection and UV irradiation processes operate in periodic cycles corresponding to each pass. The controller activates ink nozzles and UV LEDs in synchronized periodic pulses for each pass, then deactivates them before the next pass begins. This periodic control simplifies the management of multiple passes by using repetitive, standardized cycles.
3Power
If UVLEDs are used for ultraviolet irradiation, then curing efficiency is improved, but heat generation may affect ink drying and prevent dust attachment
Solution Approach 1:
UVLEDs are positioned to provide localized ultraviolet irradiation only to the specific bands where ink has been ejected. The partition plates direct UV light to precise locations, ensuring high curing efficiency at the ink locations while minimizing heat generation in surrounding areas. This localized approach prevents excessive heat from affecting overall ink drying and creates conditions that prevent dust attachment.
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 effectively prevents dust attachment on ink droplets, maintaining high image quality and achieving sufficient glossiness in glossy prints by ensuring proper curing of ultraviolet-ray curable inks.
Implementation Method 1
An ultraviolet-ray irradiator is mounted on the carriage to irradiate the recording medium with ultraviolet rays
Implementation Method 2
A gas flowing device includes at least one of an air sucking device to suck air on the recording medium side
Implementation Method 3
A gas flowing device includes at least one of an air sucking device to suck air on the recording medium side and a blowing device to blow a gas toward the recording medium side
Data Source
AI summary
An ink jet recording apparatus includes a carriage movable in a main scanning direction and relatively movable with respect to a recording medium in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. An ink ejector is mounted on the carriage and includes a plurality of ink nozzles which are provided in the sub-scanning direction to eject ultraviolet-ray curable inks and which are arranged in a plurality of pass areas to record a plurality of bands. An ultraviolet-ray irradiator is mounted on the carriage to irradiate the recording medium with ultraviolet rays and includes a plurality of light sources to irradiate the plurality of bands with ultraviolet rays, respectively. A gas flowing device includes at least one of an air sucking device to suck air on the recording medium side and a blowing device to blow a gas toward the recording medium side.