Inkjet Printing Shutter Control for Ultraslow Speed Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet printing apparatuses experience ink dryness variations when printing at ultraslow speeds due to inconsistent heat application from the drying section, leading to overdrying issues.
Innovation Solution
An inkjet printing apparatus with a controller-regulated shutter that switches between open and closed states based on transport speed, applying a drying amount of heat when speeds are above a threshold and a reduced heat amount when speeds are below the threshold, along with a ventilating mechanism for heat distribution, to prevent overdrying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the shutter remains open during ultraslow printing to maintain drying function, then the drying capability is preserved, but the inks become overdried causing ink dryness variations
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter is made dynamically controllable with multiple positions (fully open, partially open, fully closed) rather than being static. The control unit adjusts the shutter position in real-time based on transport speed feedback, allowing the drying section to adapt its heat application to match the actual printing conditions and prevent overdrying during ultraslow transport
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of heat application by adjusting the shutter position. When transport speed drops below the threshold, the shutter transitions from fully open (maximum heat) to partially or fully closed (reduced or no heat), thereby changing the drying parameter to match the reduced ink deposition rate at ultraslow speeds
2Productivity
If the transport speed is reduced to ultraslow for continuous printing during temporary stop requests, then printing continuity is maintained, but ink dryness variations occur due to inconsistent heat application
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives feedback about transport speed from the transport device and automatically adjusts the shutter position accordingly. When the transport speed falls below the predetermined threshold during ultraslow printing, the control unit responds by closing the shutter to reduce heat application, thereby maintaining ink dryness uniformity while preserving printing continuity
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 solution effectively suppresses ink dryness variations by adjusting heat application in real-time with transport speed changes, ensuring consistent ink dryness even at ultraslow speeds, maintaining print quality and throughput.
Implementation Method 1
a drying section disposed downstream of the print heads for drying the inks dispensed to the printing medium, and including a heat source for generating heat for drying the inks dispensed to the printing medium
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet printing apparatus for printing on a printing medium by dispensing inks thereto. The apparatus includes a transport device; print heads for performing printing by dispensing the inks to the printing medium; and a drying section including a heat source for generating heat for drying the inks dispensed to the printing medium, and a shutter switchable between an open state and a closed state. In the open state, a drying amount of heat is applied for drying the inks dispensed to the printing medium, and in the closed state, the heat from the heat source is applied in a minute amount of heat smaller than the drying amount of heat. A controller switches the shutter to the open state when a transporting speed of the printing medium is faster than a predetermined threshold, and switches the shutter to the closed state when the transporting speed of the printing medium becomes equal to or less than the predetermined threshold.