Ink-jet Printer Card Handling with Protective Coating
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Ink-jet printers used for printing on plastic cards, such as credit and smart cards, face issues with corrosive inks damaging the electromechanical and electronic equipment, particularly the support carriage and movement devices, which can lead to improper printing and equipment damage.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a support carriage with a detection system and a resilient mechanism to move cards between positions, using ink with specific solvents and additives to prevent damage, and includes a printhead with a protective configuration to shield electronic components from ink exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If corrosive inks are used for printing on plastic cards, then printing quality and card decoration are improved, but the electromechanical and electronic equipment of the printer is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
A protective coating is applied to the electromechanical and electronic components of the printer. This coating acts as an intermediary barrier that prevents direct contact between the corrosive ink and the sensitive equipment, thereby protecting the components while allowing the printing process to proceed with high-quality output.
2Productivity
If the support carriage and movement devices are exposed to corrosive ink, then card printing operations can be performed, but the reliability of the equipment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating serves as a mediator between the corrosive printing environment and the support carriage components, enabling continuous card printing operations while maintaining equipment reliability by preventing chemical degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The chemical properties of the protective coating are specifically designed to resist the corrosive agents in the ink, changing the surface parameters of the equipment components to be chemically inert and resistant to degradation from repeated exposure.
3Reliability
If protective measures are added to prevent ink damage, then equipment reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating provides a simple yet effective intermediary layer that enhances equipment reliability without requiring complex mechanical or electronic modifications to the printer system.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective coating can be applied as a relatively simple, cost-effective treatment that may need periodic renewal, rather than incorporating complex permanent protective mechanisms into the printer design.
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 printer effectively prints on cards without damaging the equipment, ensuring proper operation and preventing corrosive ink from affecting the electromechanical components, allowing for safe and reliable card printing.
Implementation Method 1
a medium consisting of a low-boiling organic solvent
Implementation Method 2
detection device DD mounted on the carriage 40... adapted to detect the one or more reference members RM
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Ink-jet printer for printing on cards comprising: a printing station (50) for ink-jet printing on a card (11), the printing station (50) including a printhead (51) coupled to a reservoir (52) containing an ink, said ink comprising: a medium consisting of a low-boiling organic solvent, an auxiliary solvent consisting of a high-boiling organic solvent, and a colouring component soluble in said medium. The printer (1) further comprises: a support carriage (40) for the card (11), that is moved on a guide plate (41) by a driving motor (DM); one or more reference members (RM). The guide plate (41) is interposed between the printhead (51) and the reference members (RM). The printer (1) further comprises a detection device (DD) mounted on the carriage (40), and adapted to detect the reference members (RM) and generate a corresponding main signal (MS); a control unit (U), that receives the main signal (MS) and regulates the driving motor (DM) according to the main signal (MS).