Inkjet Print Valve Timing for Pressure Equalization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers face issues due to pressure differences between sub-tanks, leading to uneven ink reserves, which can cause meniscus destruction and ink non-injection problems at the nozzle face.
Innovation Solution
A print device configuration with a head portion, mount portions, fluid passages, reservoir portions, open-close valves, and a control unit, where the control unit manages the open time periods of the valves to equalize ink pressure across sub-tanks, ensuring consistent ink reserves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple sub-tanks are disposed to supply ink to the print head, then the ink supply capacity is improved, but the pressure uniformity among sub-tanks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit determines valve open time periods in advance based on pressure information from each sub-tank. By calculating the required open time before ink supply, the system preliminarily plans the ink flow control to compensate for pressure differences, ensuring uniform ink reserve amounts across all sub-tanks before the actual supply occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the open time parameter of the open-close valves for each sub-tank based on its specific pressure conditions. Sub-tanks with higher pressure receive shorter open times, while those with lower pressure receive longer open times, dynamically adjusting the supply parameters to achieve uniform ink reserves despite pressure variations.
2Device complexity
If the open time of open-close valves is uniformly set for all sub-tanks, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ink reserve uniformity among sub-tanks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pressure sensors to detect the actual pressure in each sub-tank and feeds this information back to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the control unit calculates and adjusts the open time for each valve, creating a closed-loop control system that automatically maintains uniform ink reserves without requiring complex manual configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit automatically determines and adjusts the valve open times based on real-time pressure data from each sub-tank. The system serves itself by using its own sensor data to make control decisions, eliminating the need for external intervention or complex preset configurations while maintaining ink reserve uniformity.
3Productivity
If sub-tanks receive ink at different pressures, then the ink flow rate into sub-tanks is improved, but the liquid head consistency among sub-tanks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit calculates the appropriate open time for each valve before ink supply based on the current pressure state. This preliminary determination ensures that even though ink flows at different rates into different sub-tanks (maintaining productivity), the total ink volume received by each sub-tank is balanced, preserving liquid head consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the valve open time parameter according to the specific pressure conditions of each sub-tank. This parameter adjustment allows high-flow sub-tanks to receive shorter supply durations and low-flow sub-tanks to receive longer durations, balancing the final ink volumes and maintaining consistent liquid heads across all sub-tanks.
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 reduces variations in ink reserves among sub-tanks, maintains a consistent liquid head, and prevents meniscus destruction, ensuring reliable ink injection.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the open-close valves is provided on each of connection paths... The control unit controls opening and closing of the respective open-close valves such that a first valve open time period for the open-close valve provided on a first connection path is shorter than a second valve open time period for the open-close valve provided on a second connection path
Implementation Method 2
The nozzle face of the recording head, which is configured to inject an ink, has a meniscus formed thereon by a surface tension of the ink to hold the ink
Implementation Method 3
The pressure of the liquid that flows in the reservoir portion from the first connection path is higher than the pressure of the liquid that flows in the reservoir portion from the second connection path... reduces a difference in the amount of reserved liquid among a plurality of reservoir portions
Data Source
AI summary
A mount portion mounts a container containing liquid. A fluid passages connects the mount portion to a head portion provided to inject liquid. A reservoir portion reserves liquid and is provided on the fluid passage. An open-close valve is provided on a connection path which is a part of the fluid passage and connects the mount portion to the reservoir portion. The control unit controls opening and closing of the open-close valves such that a first valve open time period for the open-close valve provided on a first connection path is shorter than a second valve open time period for the open-close valve provided on a second connection path. The pressure of the liquid that flows in the reservoir portion from the first connection path is higher than the pressure of the liquid that flows in the reservoir portion from the second connection path.