Inkjet Maintenance Device Humidification Merging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet recording apparatuses using water-based ink face issues with ink viscosity increase due to moisture evaporation in nozzles during idle periods, leading to ejection failure and clogging, especially when multiple inkjet heads are used, resulting in a complex and large maintenance device.
Innovation Solution
A maintenance device is designed to maintain multiple inkjet heads by using a plurality of caps with air supply and discharge ports, a recovery part to recover air, and supply parts to humidify the air, which is then supplied back to the caps to prevent ink viscosity increase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a device supplies humidified air into a cap covering an ejection surface of a single head, then moisture evaporation is suppressed and ejection failure is prevented, but the device becomes large in size and complicated when multiple inkjet heads are provided
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple air supply parts are merged into a single integrated air supply unit that serves all caps simultaneously. The air supply part includes a single humidified air supply source and distribution system that can supply humidified air to multiple caps through multiple air supply ports, reducing the number of separate components while maintaining the humidification function for all inkjet heads.
Solution Approach 2:
The air supply part is designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple caps with a single unit. It can simultaneously supply humidified air to multiple different caps, replacing the need for separate air supply devices for each head, thus reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability across all inkjet heads.
2Reliability
If separate air supply devices are provided for each of multiple inkjet heads, then each head is properly maintained, but the device becomes large in size and complicated
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple air supply functions are merged into a single air supply part that can service all caps. This integrated unit includes a common humidified air source and distribution mechanism that connects to multiple caps through multiple air supply ports, maintaining individual cap maintenance while reducing the total number of separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The air supply part is segmented into multiple air supply ports that can individually connect to different caps, allowing each cap to receive humidified air independently while being supplied from a single integrated unit. This segmentation enables individual maintenance of each head without requiring separate complete air supply devices for each.
3Reliability
If multiple separate maintenance devices are used for multiple inkjet heads, then each head receives proper humidified air supply, but the overall device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple air supply functions are combined into a single air supply part with multiple air supply ports. This consolidated unit provides humidified air to multiple caps simultaneously, reducing the total volume occupied by multiple separate air supply devices while ensuring each inkjet head receives proper humidification.
Solution Approach 2:
The air supply part is designed as a universal unit that can supply humidified air to multiple different caps through its multiple air supply ports. This multi-functional design replaces multiple separate air supply devices, reducing overall device volume while maintaining the humidification capability for all inkjet heads.
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 maintenance device effectively suppresses ink viscosity increase by maintaining a humid environment around the inkjet heads, preventing clogging and ejection failures, while also simplifying and miniaturizing the device compared to previous solutions.
Implementation Method 1
there is a possibility that moisture evaporates from the ink in a nozzle while a printing operation is not performed, thereby increasing a viscosity of the ink
Data Source
AI summary
A maintenance device a maintains a head unit including inkjet heads. The maintenance device includes a plurality of caps, an air supply port and an air discharge port, one recovery part, and a plurality of air supply parts. The caps are provided for the inkjet heads, and attached on nozzle surfaces of the inkjet heads. The air supply port and the air discharge port are provided for the cap. The recovery part recovers air through the air discharge ports of all the caps. The supply parts are provided for the caps, and supply a humidified air generated by humidifying the air recovered by the recovery part, to the air supply ports. The supply parts are arranged around the recovery part. In the cap, the air discharge port is provided on a side of the recovery part, and the air supply port is provided on a side of the supply part.