Inkjet Head Deaeration Circulation System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printing apparatuses face issues with bubble formation and growth in the ink passage and ejection head, leading to degraded ink ejection performance and increased ink consumption due to frequent suction recovery operations, especially during the initial stages when the ink is charged from a dry state.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejection apparatus with a deaeration unit that circulates deaerated ink after a recovery operation to remove bubbles inside the passage, including a deaeration module or tank that reduces dissolved gas levels, and a control unit that manages the circulation and deaeration processes to minimize waste ink and tank size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the suction recovery operation is performed frequently to remove bubbles from the ink passage, then the ink ejection performance is maintained, but the ink consumption amount increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing a deaeration operation on the ink before it is supplied to the ink passage. This removes dissolved gas from the ink in advance, preventing bubble formation during circulation and ejection, thereby maintaining reliable ink ejection performance without requiring frequent suction recovery operations that waste ink.
2Reliability
If the suction recovery operation is performed frequently to remove bubbles from the ink passage, then the ink ejection performance is maintained, but the waste ink tank capacity must be increased
Solution Approach 1:
The deaeration operation is performed in advance on the ink before it enters the circulation system. This preliminary removal of dissolved gas prevents bubble formation that would otherwise require frequent suction recovery operations, thereby reducing the volume of waste ink collected and allowing for a smaller waste ink tank capacity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the circulation of ink is interrupted by growing bubbles, then the bubble growth is stopped, but the ink ejection is suppressed and image quality degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs deaeration as a preliminary action before ink circulation begins. By removing dissolved gas from the ink in advance, the ink can circulate continuously without bubble formation and growth, ensuring uninterrupted ink ejection and consistent image quality without needing to interrupt circulation to stop bubble growth.
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 approach reduces ink consumption and waste tank size by effectively removing bubbles, maintaining liquid ejection performance, and reducing the frequency of recovery operations, thereby lowering running costs and extending the time between necessary deaeration cycles.
Implementation Method 1
a deaeration unit configured to perform a deaeration operation of decreasing a dissolved gas amount of the liquid
Data Source
AI summary
The liquid ejection apparatus includes a circulation unit configured to circulate a liquid along a circulation passage extending from a liquid supply source to the liquid supply source through a liquid ejection head. Further, the liquid ejection apparatus includes a deaeration unit configured to perform a deaeration operation of decreasing a dissolved gas amount of the liquid, a recovery unit configured to recover ejection performance of an ejection opening, and a control unit configured to control an operation of driving the circulation unit and the deaeration unit. The control unit starts the deaeration operation and circulates the liquid having been deaerated by the deaeration operation inside a circulation path after the recovery operation and before an initial printing operation after the recovery operation.