Inkjet Recording Apparatus Circulation Control After Wiping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing inkjet recording apparatuses face issues with normal ejection after wiping, as ink concentration at the ejection port surface leads to clogging, preventing effective preliminary ejection.

Innovation Solution

A recording apparatus with a circulation unit, cleaning mechanism, and control unit that stops circulation before wiping and restarts it post-wiping, allowing for preliminary ejection to clear concentrated ink from the ejection ports.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wiping is performed on the ejection port surface, then cleaning effect is improved, but ink concentration occurs leading to clogging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveejection functionalityVSAvoidink concentration and clogging

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The circulation operation is performed before the wiping operation to preliminarily flush ink from the ejection ports. This preliminary action prevents ink concentration during subsequent wiping by ensuring fresh ink flows through the ejection ports, eliminating the harmful effect of clogging while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The circulation operation continues during and after wiping to maintain continuous ink flow through the ejection ports. This continuous action ensures that ink concentration is prevented throughout the entire wiping process and subsequent preliminary ejection, maintaining both cleaning effectiveness and ejection functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Reliability

If circulation operation is performed during wiping, then ink concentration is prevented, but cleaning effectiveness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveejection functionalityVSAvoidcleaning precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The circulation operation is performed before wiping to preliminarily flush ink, and then continues during wiping at a controlled level. This preliminary and continuous action maintains ejection functionality while allowing the wiping mechanism to perform its cleaning function with sufficient precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The circulation operation is performed to a degree that is sufficient to prevent ink concentration but not so excessive as to completely prevent the wiping mechanism from contacting and cleaning the ejection port surface. This partial action level achieves both goals: preventing clogging while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Device complexity

If preliminary ejection is performed after wiping without circulation, then device complexity is reduced, but ejection failures occur due to clogging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation sequence simplicityVSAvoidejection functionality

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The circulation operation is performed as a preliminary action before and during wiping to prevent ink concentration. This preliminary circulation ensures that when preliminary ejection is subsequently performed, the ejection ports are free from clogging, maintaining ejection functionality without requiring complex additional mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The circulation operation continues during and after wiping to maintain continuous ink flow, ensuring ejection functionality is preserved throughout the process. This continuous circulation works together with the preliminary ejection in a coordinated sequence that maintains reliability while avoiding excessive device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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

Ensures normal ejection operations by preventing ink clogging and maintaining ejection port integrity after wiping, thereby preventing ejection failures.

Implementation Method 1

a circulation unit configured to perform a circulation operation of circulating the liquid in a circulation route including the tank and the recording head

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCirculation: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS11745525B2Recording apparatus, control method, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2023.09.05 CANON KK

AI summary

To normally perform a preliminary ejection after a cleaning process. Provided is a recording apparatus including: a recording head that includes an ejection component that ejects a liquid; a circulation unit configured to perform a circulation operation of circulating the liquid in a circulation route including the recording head; a cleaning mechanism that performs a cleaning process with respect to the recording head; and a preliminary ejection unit configured to perform a preliminary ejection operation of preliminarily ejecting the liquid from the ejection component. The cleaning mechanism performs the cleaning process in a state in which circulation of the liquid is stopped, and at least one of the circulation operation by the circulation unit and the preliminary ejection operation by the preliminary ejection unit is performed after the cleaning process.