Inkjet Head Buffer Flow Path for High-Speed Printing

Solution Overview

Problem

The quality of printing in inkjet printers is compromised due to the pressure adjustment mechanism, which struggles to keep up with the changing ink requirements during high-speed printing, leading to ink shortages and quality issues.

Innovation Solution

A printing apparatus with an ink supply system that includes a pressure adjustment mechanism and a connecting member with a head-side flow path having a larger cross-sectional area than the pressure adjustment mechanism outlet, acting as a buffer to store ink closer to the inkjet head and ensure consistent ink supply.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the pressure adjustment mechanism is used to supply ink at negative pressure, then ink supply pressure is controlled, but the mechanism cannot keep up with changing ink requirements during high-speed printing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting speedVSAvoidink supply stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The head-side flow path is designed with a larger cross-sectional area than the pressure adjustment mechanism outlet, creating a buffer zone that stores ink in advance. This preliminary storage of ink allows the system to meet sudden increases in ink demand during high-speed printing without the pressure adjustment mechanism needing to respond instantly to every change.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The head-side flow path acts as an intermediary buffer between the pressure adjustment mechanism and the inkjet head. It decouples the direct connection, allowing the pressure mechanism to maintain stable negative pressure while the buffer absorbs fluctuations in ink demand, ensuring both pressure control and responsive supply.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stress or pressure

If the pressure adjustment mechanism outlet has a small cross-sectional area for precise pressure control, then pressure is well-regulated, but ink flow rate cannot be increased quickly to meet demand changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink supply pressureVSAvoidink flow rate response

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The solution transitions from a single-dimension constraint (outlet cross-sectional area) to a two-dimension system. The pressure adjustment mechanism outlet maintains its small area for precise pressure control, while the head-side flow path provides a larger cross-sectional area dimension that enables rapid ink flow and buffering, effectively separating pressure regulation from flow rate response.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If ink is supplied directly from the pressure adjustment mechanism outlet to the inkjet head, then the system is simple, but ink shortages occur when demand changes rapidly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink supply system structureVSAvoidink supply adequacy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The head-side flow path is designed with a larger cross-sectional area than the pressure adjustment mechanism outlet, creating a buffer zone that stores ink in advance. This preliminary storage of ink allows the system to meet sudden increases in ink demand during high-speed printing without the pressure adjustment mechanism needing to respond instantly to every change.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The head-side flow path acts as an intermediary buffer between the pressure adjustment mechanism and the inkjet head. It decouples the direct connection, allowing the pressure mechanism to maintain stable negative pressure while the buffer absorbs fluctuations in ink demand, ensuring both pressure control and responsive supply.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 prevents ink shortages and maintains high-quality printing even at increased speeds by buffering the ink flow rate, ensuring the inkjet head receives the required amount of ink promptly, regardless of changes in ink demand.

Implementation Method 1

the head-side flow path functions as a buffer that adjusts a flow rate of ink between the pressure adjustment mechanism outlet and the inkjet head by storing ink

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuffer storage:

Implementation Method 2

a pressure adjustment mechanism that adjusts a pressure of ink supplied to the inkjet head... supplies ink adjusted to a pressure in a predetermined range lower than an atmospheric pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure adjustment:

Data Source

PatentUS12151482B2Printing apparatus and printing method

Publication Date: 2024.11.26 MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO LTD

AI summary

A printing apparatus that performs printing through an inkjet method includes an inkjet head and an ink supply system, where the ink supply system includes a pressure damper that is a pressure adjustment mechanism, a flow path that is a container-side flow path, and a connecting member in which a flow path that is a head-side flow path for flowing ink from the pressure damper to the inkjet head is formed, the pressure damper supplies ink adjusted to a pressure in a predetermined range lower than atmospheric pressure from an output port that is a pressure adjustment mechanism outlet to the flow path, and a flow path cross-sectional area of at least one part of the flow path in the connecting member is larger than a flow path cross-sectional area of the output port.