Inkjet Printing Device with Movable Heads and Pressurized Reservoir
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink jet printing devices for sheet materials, such as corrugated cardboard, require a large number of fixed heads to print over the entire width, leading to complexity in control units and issues with ink flow and maintenance, including irregular printing and difficult access for assembly and replacement.
Innovation Solution
A flexible ink jet printing device with removably coupled printing units and a secondary ink reservoir system that ensures consistent ink supply and protection from impacts, allowing for easy assembly, maintenance, and adjustment of the number of heads, with ink ejection occurring upward to address the limitations of prior art.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a large number of fixed heads are used to print over the entire width of the material, then the printing coverage is improved, but the device complexity and control unit complexity increase dramatically
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transitioning from fixed printing heads to movable printing heads that can travel along the transverse dimension of the material. This allows a single or fewer number of heads to cover the entire printing width by moving dynamically, thereby reducing the total number of heads required and simplifying the control system while maintaining full printing coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The printing system is segmented into movable printing units that can be independently controlled. Each printing unit can be moved to specific positions along the transverse dimension, allowing the system to divide the printing task across time and space rather than requiring all heads to be simultaneously active and fixed, thus reducing control complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the head is positioned below the material feed plane for bottom-up printing, then the printing versatility is improved, but the ink flow regularity deteriorates due to gravity opposing ink ejection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs pneumatic and hydraulic principles by using a pressurized ink supply system that delivers ink to the printing head through a tube connected to an external ink reservoir. The pressurization mechanism overcomes the gravitational force opposing upward ink ejection, ensuring regular and consistent ink flow to the nozzles despite the head being positioned below the material feed plane.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the ink supply tube is long to reach the printhead from the external reservoir, then the printing flexibility is improved, but the ink supply pressure decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pneumatic and hydraulic principles to maintain ink supply pressure despite the length of the supply tube. The pressurized ink delivery system compensates for pressure losses along the tube length, ensuring that sufficient pressure is maintained at the printhead nozzles for reliable ink ejection while allowing flexible positioning of the external ink reservoir.
4Ease of manufacture
If the printing unit has fixed assembly configuration, then the manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the maintenance difficulty increases due to hard-to-reach locations for head connection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the printing unit movable rather than fixed. The printing head can be moved to accessible positions along the transverse dimension, allowing operators to easily reach and perform maintenance tasks such as connecting or disconnecting ink supply tubes and replacing heads, thereby improving maintenance accessibility without complicating the manufacturing process.
Data Source
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AI summary
An ink jet printing device (1) for customized printing of images on one or more faces (F, F') of a sheet material (M), such as corrugated cardboard or the like, for producing packages, comprising a frame (3) with a top surface (4) defining a substantially horizontal running plane (ττ) for a face (F, F') of the material (M) to be printed, with guides (8) transverse to the running direction (L) of the material (M), at least one printing unit (6) that can move along the guides (8) and has at least one printing head (7) therein, supply means (26) for supplying the head (7) with at least one printing ink (I), and movement means (21) for driving the printing unit (6) along the guides (8). The printing head (7) faces the running plane (ττ) for depositing the ink (I) on one face (F, F') of the material (M) to be printed, and the supply means (26) comprise at least one secondary reservoir (27), which is mounted in the printing unit (6) and is in fluid connection with the head (7), and at least one main reservoir (28) in fluid connection with the secondary reservoir (27) for refilling the latter and maintain the level (w) of ink (I) above a predetermined threshold value (ws) and ensure supply to the printing head (7).