Inkjet Printing Support Member Protrusions for Full Bleed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet printing systems face challenges in achieving full bleed printing on small and irregularly shaped substrates without contaminating them with overspray fluids, particularly when dealing with substrates like candy and cookies that require precise alignment and handling.
Innovation Solution
An ink jet printing system with a support member featuring protrusions to carry substrates and a conveying mechanism that allows relative movement between the print head and substrate, equipped with sensors for orientation detection and an ink absorbing material to manage overspray, enabling full bleed printing on irregular shapes without pre-alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If continuous stream ink jet systems are used to achieve full bleed printing, then imaging speed and throughput are improved, but substrate contamination by overspray fluids occurs
Solution Approach 1:
A support member with protrusions is introduced as an intermediary between the substrate and the conveying mechanism. The protrusions provide precise support points that prevent substrate contamination while enabling full bleed printing. This intermediary structure allows the ink to flow to the edges without the substrate contacting the conveying surface, thus preventing overspray contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member is segmented into multiple protrusions distributed across its surface. These discrete protrusions provide localized support points that prevent substrate contamination while allowing ink to reach the edges. The segmentation allows the substrate to be supported at multiple points without creating a continuous contact surface that would cause contamination.
2Loss of substance
If drop-on-demand systems are used to reduce ink consumption, then material efficiency is improved, but imaging speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between drop-on-demand and continuous stream modes based on the printing requirements. For full bleed printing, continuous stream mode is used to maintain high imaging speed. For partial printing, drop-on-demand mode is used to reduce ink consumption. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize both imaging speed and material efficiency according to the specific printing task.
3Manufacturing precision
If substrates are pre-aligned before printing, then printing precision is improved, but operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support member with protrusions provides self-aligning functionality. The protrusions naturally guide and position the substrate during conveying, eliminating the need for manual pre-alignment operations. This self-service mechanism maintains printing precision while significantly reducing operation complexity, as the substrate automatically positions itself correctly on the support member.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple protrusions are used to carry substrates, then substrate handling capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support member features localized protrusions at specific positions rather than a uniform structure. Each protrusion is strategically placed to provide support at critical locations, enabling versatile substrate handling for various shapes and sizes. This localized approach maintains simplicity in the overall device structure while achieving high adaptability for different substrate types.
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
The system effectively prints full bleed images on small and irregularly shaped substrates while minimizing contamination by capturing overspray and adjusting ink patterns according to substrate orientation, allowing for efficient handling of diverse substrate materials.
Implementation Method 1
a droplet is ejected from an orifice directly to a position on a recording medium by pressure created by, for example, a piezoelectric device
Implementation Method 2
a droplet is ejected from an orifice directly to a position on a recording medium by pressure created by, for example, a piezoelectric device, an acoustic device
Implementation Method 3
a droplet is ejected from an orifice directly to a position on a recording medium by pressure created by, for example, a piezoelectric device, an acoustic device, or a thermal device
Implementation Method 4
The ink is ejected out of orifices and perturbed, causing it to break up into droplets at a fixed distance from the orifice. At the break-up point, the electrically charged ink droplets are passed through an applied electric field that is controlled and switched on and off in accordance with digital data signals.
Data Source
AI summary
An ink jet printing system includes an ink jet print head configured to deliver ink drops to a substrate, a support member having a plurality of protrusions configured to carry the substrate by being in contact with the lower surface of the substrate, and a substrate conveying mechanism configured to cause relative movement between the ink jet print head and the support member.