Inkjet Head Cleaning via Immersion and Dissolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing head cleaning apparatuses for inkjet printers do not thoroughly clean the ink discharging surface, as dirt and ink stains can be pushed into ink discharge ports during the cleaning process, leading to poor discharge performance.
Innovation Solution
A head cleaning apparatus with a cleaning liquid reservoir, a removing unit that removes dirt and ink stains while the ink discharging surface is immersed in the cleaning liquid, and a wiping member that dries the surface afterwards, preventing stains from entering the ports and ensuring thorough cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a small amount of cleaning liquid is fed to the ink discharging surface and then wiped off using removing member and wiping member, then the cleaning process is simple and quick, but the ink discharging surface may not be thoroughly cleaned and dirt/ink stain may be pushed into ink discharge ports
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cleaning liquid reservoir as an intermediary medium between the removing member and the ink discharging surface. The reservoir contains a sufficient amount of cleaning liquid that allows the ink discharging surface to be immersed, creating a liquid environment where dirt and ink stains are dissolved and suspended rather than being mechanically pushed into the discharge ports. The removing member operates within this liquid medium, which acts as a buffer and carrier for the contaminants.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a surface-level wiping operation to an immersive three-dimensional cleaning process. Instead of applying cleaning liquid only to the surface and immediately wiping it off, the ink discharging surface is submerged into the cleaning liquid reservoir, allowing cleaning to occur throughout the volume of the liquid. This dimensional change enables contaminants to be suspended in the liquid bulk rather than being pushed into the ports during removal.
2Manufacturing precision
If the ink discharging surface is immersed in abundant cleaning liquid for removal of dirt and ink stain, then thorough cleaning is achieved, but the apparatus complexity increases due to additional cleaning liquid reservoir
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning liquid reservoir serves multiple functions simultaneously: it stores the cleaning liquid, acts as an immersion medium for the ink discharging surface, provides a suspension environment for contaminants, and facilitates the operation of the removing member. By consolidating these functions into a single component, the patent avoids the need for separate systems for liquid storage, application, and waste collection, thereby minimizing the increase in apparatus complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the cleaning liquid storage function with the cleaning operation itself. Rather than having separate systems for liquid delivery and waste removal, the reservoir integrates both functions - the same container that holds the cleaning liquid also serves as the collection point for contaminants suspended in the liquid. This consolidation simplifies the overall apparatus structure while maintaining effective cleaning performance.
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
The apparatus effectively removes dirt and ink stains from the ink discharging surface, preventing blockages in the ink discharge ports and improving the cleaning efficiency and effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
dirt and/or ink stain removed from the ink discharging surface into the cleaning liquid abundantly contained in the cleaning liquid reserving tank
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a head cleaning apparatus, an inkjet printer, and a head cleaning method that allow an ink discharging surface of an inkjet head to be more adequately cleaned than the known art.A head cleaning apparatus has a cleaning liquid reserving tank containing a cleaning liquid for cleaning an ink discharging surface of an inkjet head from which an ink is discharged. The head cleaning apparatus further has a removing unit that removes dirt and/or ink stain from the ink discharging surface while the ink discharging surface is being immersed in the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid reserving tank, and a wiper that wipes off the cleaning liquid left on the ink discharging surface after the removal of dirt and/or ink stain by the removing unit. The removing unit and the wiper are both disposed in the cleaning liquid reserving tank.