Inkjet Nozzle Cleaning via Blade and Supply Port Width Ratio
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet recording apparatuses face insufficient cleaning performance due to inadequate supply of cleaning liquid, leading to ink thickening or sticking on the nozzle surface, which affects the recording process.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a cleaning liquid supply member with multiple supply ports positioned between the blade's moving start position and the nozzle surface, ensuring the cleaning liquid spreads over the nozzle surface, with the blade's width being equal to or less than the supply port region width, allowing for effective wiping and preventing liquid accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the blade width is increased to improve cleaning coverage, then the cleaning performance improves, but the cleaning liquid accumulates and causes ink thickening or sticking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the cleaning liquid supply non-uniform across the blade width. The supply port width is specifically designed to be wider than the blade width, creating a localized excess of cleaning liquid that prevents ink accumulation on the blade while ensuring adequate cleaning coverage. This resolves the contradiction by optimizing the distribution of cleaning liquid across different regions of the blade.
2Reliability
If the cleaning liquid supply amount is increased to prevent ink thickening, then the cleaning performance improves, but the cleaning liquid accumulates on the blade causing harmful effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameter relationship between the blade width and supply port width. By setting the supply port width to be greater than the blade width, the system ensures that cleaning liquid is supplied in excess relative to the blade's cleaning capacity, preventing both ink thickening and cleaning liquid accumulation. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction by finding the optimal supply quantity.
3Reliability
If the supply port width is made wider than the blade width to ensure adequate cleaning liquid supply, then the cleaning performance improves, but the cleaning liquid may spread beyond the blade area
Solution Approach 1:
The blade acts as an intermediary element between the cleaning liquid supply source and the nozzle surface. By designing the supply port width to be wider than the blade width, the excess cleaning liquid is confined to the blade area through the blade's physical presence, preventing it from spreading beyond the intended cleaning zone while still ensuring adequate supply to the nozzle surface.
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 ensures thorough wiping of the nozzle surface, preventing ink thickening and sticking, thereby maintaining optimal recording performance by ensuring a consistent and efficient cleaning process.
Implementation Method 1
The blade is in contact with the nozzle surface and moves in a predetermined moving direction to wipe off the nozzle surface
Implementation Method 2
The cleaning liquid supplied from a cleaning liquid supply source to the storage part through the supply port is held in a state protruding downward from the supply port. After that, when the blade moves from the moving start position, the protruding cleaning liquid is wiped off by the blade and held by the blade
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet includes a head unit, a blade, and a cleaning liquid supply member. The head unit is provided with a nozzle surface, and supported to be lifted and lowered. The blade is in contact with the nozzle surface and moves in a predetermined moving direction to wipe off the nozzle surface. The cleaning liquid supply member stores a cleaning liquid, and supplies the cleaning liquid between a moving start position of the blade and the nozzle surface. The cleaning liquid supply member has a plurality of supply ports provided between the moving start position of the blade and the nozzle surface. When a direction crossing to the moving direction is defined as a width direction, a width of the blade is set to “a”, and a width of a region where the supply ports are formed is set to “b”, then the next formula is established, a≤b.