Ink Jet Printer Compact Layout via UV Curing Offset
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ink jet printers with cutting and ultraviolet light curable ink capabilities have an elongated design due to linear arrangement of components, which increases the overall length and hinders the use of larger ink heads for increased printing speed.
Innovation Solution
The ink jet printer incorporates an ink head with a cutting head and pair of ultraviolet light irradiation devices, where the cutting head is positioned in front or rear of one of the ultraviolet light irradiation devices, allowing for a more compact arrangement by offsetting the ultraviolet light irradiation devices in the front-rear direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the ink head, cutting head, and ultraviolet light irradiation devices are linearly arranged in the left-right direction, then the printer can perform printing, cutting, and ink curing functions, but the overall length of the printer becomes too long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the cutting head from a linear left-right arrangement to a depth-direction position in front of or behind the ultraviolet light irradiation device. This spatial reconfiguration in the depth dimension reduces the left-right length of the printer while maintaining all necessary functions of printing, cutting, and ink curing.
2Productivity
If a larger ink head is used to increase printing speed, then productivity improves, but the overall length of the printer increases further
Solution Approach 1:
By positioning the cutting head in the depth direction rather than extending it in the left-right direction, the patent enables the use of larger ink heads for higher printing speed without proportionally increasing the overall printer length. The spatial optimization in the depth dimension decouples the relationship between ink head size and printer length.
3Device complexity
If the cutting head is positioned to the side of the ink head, then the structure becomes simpler, but the linear arrangement increases the overall length
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains the simple side-positioning structure of the cutting head relative to the ink head but optimizes its position by placing it in front of or behind the ultraviolet light irradiation device in the depth direction. This preserves structural simplicity while eliminating the length increase problem of linear left-right arrangement.
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 the overall length of the printer, enabling the use of larger ink heads for increased printing speed while maintaining excellent image quality and efficient curing of ink.
Implementation Method 1
an ink head having a print head for ejecting ink onto a recording medium, and movable in a first direction, the ink curable upon irradiation with ultraviolet light; a first ultraviolet light irradiation device positioned on a first side section of the ink head and a second ultraviolet light irradiation device positioned on a second side section of the ink head
Data Source
AI summary
An ink jet printer includes: an ink head having a print head for ejecting ink and movable in a first direction, the ink curable upon irradiation with ultraviolet light; a first device positioned on a first side section of the ink head and a second device positioned on a second side section of the ink head opposite the first side section in the first direction, the devices being for irradiating a recording medium with ultraviolet light; and a cutting head attachable to the ink head such that the cutting head is positioned adjacent the ink head, movable in the first direction, and configured to cut at least a portion of the recording medium. When the ink and cutting heads are attached, at least a portion of the cutting head is positioned in front or in rear of one of the devices in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.