Inkjet Printing Apparatus Degassing Module Circulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet printing apparatuses face challenges in achieving a desired degree of degassing and ink temperature control, leading to image quality issues and prolonged startup times due to the placement of a sub-tank in the circulation passage, which affects the efficiency of the degassing process and ink heating.
Innovation Solution
An inkjet printing apparatus with a degassing module disposed midway in the ink flow passage, where the ink passes through the degassing module for parallel degassing and circulation, allowing for multiple degassing cycles and rapid ink heating, eliminating the need for sub-tanks in the circulation passage and enabling continuous image formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sub-tank is disposed midway in a circulation passage for multiple degassing cycles, then the degree of degassing can be increased, but it takes a lot of time to achieve the desired degree of degassing and suspension of image forming becomes unavoidable
Solution Approach 1:
The degassing process is performed preliminarily before the ink is supplied to the nozzles for image forming. The ink is degassed in advance in the degassing device, and then the degassed ink is stored in the sub-tank. This preliminary degassing action allows the system to achieve the desired degree of degassing without causing time loss during image forming operations.
2Reliability
If a sub-tank is disposed midway in a circulation passage, then multiple degassing cycles are possible, but the effect on heating becomes small and it takes a lot of time to increase ink temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The ink is heated preliminarily in the sub-tank before being supplied to the degassing device. By performing heating in advance in a location with good heat conductivity, the ink reaches the required temperature before degassing, avoiding the problem of insufficient heating effect that would occur if heating were attempted in the degassing device where heat conductivity is low.
3Productivity
If a sub-tank is disposed midway in the ink flow passage, then parallel degassing and circulation are enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sub-tank serves multiple functions: it stores degassed ink, receives heated ink, and acts as an intermediate chamber in the parallel degassing and circulation system. By making the sub-tank multi-functional, the system achieves continuous image formation capability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
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 stable ink supply to nozzles with a desired degree of degassing and rapid ink heating, allowing for continuous image formation without suspending operations and reducing startup time, while maintaining image quality by ensuring uniform ink discharge.
Implementation Method 1
a degassing module 242 which is disposed midway in the ink flow passage 24b and removes air from the liquid ink
Implementation Method 2
heat conductivity to ink in the degassing device is low and accordingly it takes a lot of time to increase the ink temperature by heat
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is an inkjet printing apparatus capable of supplying ink stably to the nozzles while ensuring a desired degree of de-gassing using a simple configuration and operations. The inkjet printing apparatus is provided with: an ink tank; a print head for forming an image by discharging ink; an ink flow channel for supplying ink from the ink tank to the print head; a de-gassing unit provided midway in the ink flow channel for removing air from the ink; a circulating flow channel, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the two sides of the de-gassing unit in the ink flow channel; and a circulating pump provided midway in the circulating flow channel for returning ink flowing out of the de-gassing unit to a position that flows into the de-gassing unit. The inkjet printing apparatus is configured so that ink is able to move at roughly the same speed between the circulating flow channel outflow port and the circulating flow channel inflow port of the ink flow channel and in the circulating flow channel.