Inkjet Printhead IR Radiation for Ink Drop Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aqueous ink drops in inkjet printers tend to have uncontrollable movement after landing on substrates, affecting image quality due to excessive fluidity, and existing drying methods like convective heaters are ineffective in maintaining ink drop placement.
Innovation Solution
The printer employs infrared (IR) radiation sources tuned to specific wavelengths for each ink color, positioned between printheads to heat and fix ink drops, maintaining viscosity within a range that allows them to remain in place while allowing minor spreading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If aqueous ink drops are ejected onto the substrate, then the ink drops can be placed on the substrate, but the ink drops move uncontrollably after landing affecting image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies infrared radiation to change the temperature parameter of the ink drops, which in turn changes the viscosity parameter. By controlling the temperature increase through IR radiation, the ink drop viscosity is adjusted to an optimal range that provides sufficient stability while maintaining reasonable spread characteristics, thus resolving the contradiction between placement precision and drop stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical or thermal drying systems with infrared radiation heating. The IR radiation directly heats the ink drops through absorption, providing rapid viscosity increase and stabilization without the need for complex mechanical drying mechanisms or convective heating systems, thereby fixing the ink drops in place while maintaining image quality.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the ink drops are heated to fix them in place, then the ink drops remain where they landed, but excessive heating can disrupt ink placement and adversely impact image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a feedback control system where the infrared radiation sources are controlled based on detected ink drop characteristics. The system monitors the ink drop state and adjusts the IR radiation intensity accordingly, ensuring the ink drops are heated to the optimal viscosity range without excessive heating that would disrupt placement. This feedback mechanism maintains both ink drop stability and placement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies infrared radiation in a controlled, partial manner rather than excessive heating. By using multiple IR sources with adjustable intensity and positioning them at specific distances from the substrate, the system applies just enough heat to achieve the desired viscosity increase and stabilize the ink drops without causing overheating that would adversely affect image quality or disrupt placement.
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 approach effectively stabilizes ink drops on the substrate, preventing excessive spreading and ensuring high-quality image formation by precisely controlling the drying process without overheating or disrupting ink placement.
Implementation Method 1
a first source of infrared (IR) radiation following the first printhead in the process direction, the first source of IR radiation being tuned to heat color pigment particles in the aqueous ink having the first color
Data Source
AI summary
A printer includes at least a first printhead and a second printhead, each of which is operatively connected to a source of aqueous ink having a color that is different than the color of aqueous ink connected to the other printhead. A first source of infrared (IR) radiation is positioned between the first and second printheads and a second source of IR radiation follows the first and second printheads. The first source of IR radiation is tuned to heat color pigment particles in the aqueous ink connected to the first printhead only and the second source of IR radiation is tuned to heat color pigment particles in the aqueous ink connected to the second printhead only.