Inkjet Printer Support Section Design for Paper Flatness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ink jet printers face issues with maintaining the flatness of the paper sheet during printing due to inadequate support, leading to potential slanting or curving, which affects the quality of recording as ink is ejected from nozzles to deviated positions.

Innovation Solution

A recording apparatus with a support section that includes a discarding section facing the nozzle rows and a support surface with a second surface extending longer than the first support surface in the width direction, ensuring increased contact area and maintaining the flatness of the medium before and after recording.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the support section supports the paper sheet only by portions facing gaps between nozzle groups, then the support section allows flushing operation, but the paper sheet is not retained in a constant position and may slant or curve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflushing operationVSAvoidposition retention of paper sheet

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The support section is divided into multiple protrusions that correspond to gaps between nozzle groups, allowing each protrusion to independently support the paper sheet while maintaining overall stability and enabling flushing operations through the nozzle groups

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the support section have different functions: protrusions in gap regions provide support points for paper sheet retention, while regions facing nozzle groups remain open to allow ink ejection and flushing operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If the support section uses protrusions only at gap positions, then flushing can be performed, but the contact area with the paper sheet is insufficient leading to poor flatness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflushing capabilityVSAvoidcontact area with paper sheet

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The support section is segmented into multiple protrusions distributed across the width, each providing localized support while collectively increasing the total contact area with the paper sheet

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support protrusions extend in the width direction perpendicular to the paper sheet transport direction, increasing the contact area without interfering with the flushing operation in the transport direction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS10081200B2Recording apparatus having support section with a discarding section

Publication Date: 2018.09.25 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A recording apparatus includes a recording head on which a plurality of nozzle rows are arranged in a width direction that intersects with a transfer direction; and a support section which includes a discarding section which includes a position which faces the nozzle rows and allows ink ejected by the recording head to pass therethrough, and a support surface which is disposed at a position which does not face the nozzle rows and is configured to support the paper sheet, wherein the support surface includes a first support surface which is disposed in a region which faces gaps between the nozzle rows in the width direction and a second support surface which extends in a region longer than a region in which the first support surface is disposed in the width direction, and the first support surface and the second support surface are formed to be flush with each other.