Inkjet Head Air Suction Unit for Ink Mist Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Inkjet recording apparatuses face complexity in their internal mechanisms due to the need for air piping to remove ink mist between the nozzle head and recording paper, leading to inefficient suction and contamination issues.

Innovation Solution

An air suction and blast unit is positioned between successive inkjet heads, featuring a housing with an air suction port, an air blast nozzle, a fan, and a mist filter, generating a laminar airflow to efficiently collect ink mist without the need for air piping within each nozzle head.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If air piping is provided in each nozzle head to remove ink mist, then ink mist removal capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink mist removal capabilityVSAvoidinternal mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The air piping system is extracted from the nozzle head and relocated to a separate air suction unit positioned downstream. This removes the harmful ink mist from the nozzle head area without requiring complex internal air piping within the nozzle head itself, thereby resolving the contradiction between mist removal capability and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

An air suction unit is introduced as an intermediary component between the nozzle head and the environment. This intermediary unit handles the ink mist removal function externally, allowing the nozzle head to maintain its simple internal structure while still achieving effective mist removal through the intermediary's suction action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If air suction port is open facing recording paper to suck air perpendicular to paper, then ink mist can be accessed, but air flow becomes turbulent and suction efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink mist accessVSAvoidsuction efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of opening the air suction port to face the recording paper directly (perpendicular orientation), the port is inverted to face the direction of paper travel (parallel orientation). This inversion changes the air flow pattern from turbulent perpendicular flow to smooth parallel flow, maintaining ink mist access while dramatically improving suction efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If suction unit is integrated into nozzle head, then ink mist removal is achieved, but ease of manufacture decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink mist removalVSAvoidnozzle head manufacturing simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The ink mist removal system is segmented into two independent parts: the nozzle head for ink discharge and the separate air suction unit for mist removal. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using optimized processes, improving ease of manufacture while maintaining effective ink mist removal capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 simplifies the internal structure of the inkjet heads, enables efficient ink mist removal and collection, and maintains ink discharge stability by adjusting airflow rates according to ink discharge quantities.

Implementation Method 1

creating a laminar flow from the air suction port to the air blast nozzle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaminar flow: Laminar Flow

Implementation Method 2

a mist filter in the housing for catching an ink mist in the air flow created by the fan

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 3

an air suction port provided at one side of the housing, an air blast nozzle provided at the other side of the housing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS7614722B2Inkjet recording apparatus

Publication Date: 2009.11.10 MIYAKOSHI PRINTING MACHINERY

AI summary

An inkjet recording apparatus having a plurality of inkjet heads arranged along a paper conveyance line is disclosed, which is capable of collecting an ink mist efficiently without making the inkjet heads intricate in makeup. To this end, an air suction and blast unit is disposed in a space between the upstream and downstream inkjet heads which are successive and includes a housing, an air suction port provided at one side of the housing, an air blast nozzle provided at the other side of the housing, a fan provided between the air suction port and the air blast nozzle in the housing for creating an air flow flowing from the air suction port to the air blast nozzle and a mist filter in the housing for catching an ink mist in the air flow created by the fan, wherein the air suction port is opposed from a downstream side to a gap between an under surface of the upstream inkjet head and the paper conveyance line while the air blast nozzle is opposed from an upstream side to a gap between the downstream inkjet head and the paper conveyance line.