Inkjet Printer Surface Tension Control for Bleeding Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers face challenges in reducing bleeding and boundary variation between different ink areas on non-porous base members like PET or coated paper, as existing methods do not account for the time difference in ink deposition and surface tension dynamics.
Innovation Solution
The image forming apparatus includes a head unit with a first ink ejection part that ejects ink with decreasing surface tension over time and a second ink ejection part positioned downstream, ensuring the surface tension of the second ink is equal to or close to that of the first ink already deposited, reducing the surface tension difference and bleeding at boundaries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple color inks are ejected onto a base member with a time difference, then the base member can be processed efficiently, but bleeding occurs at the boundary between ink areas and the boundary position varies
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the surface tension parameter of the inks dynamically. By controlling the surface tension of each ink to decrease at different rates over time, the system compensates for the time difference between ink ejections. This parameter adjustment ensures that when inks are deposited adjacent to each other, their surface tensions are balanced, preventing bleeding and maintaining precise boundary positions while preserving efficient processing
2Device complexity
If the surface tension of inks is not controlled dynamically, then the ink formulation is simple, but bleeding occurs at boundaries between different inks
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the surface tension parameter of inks over time. By formulating inks with specific surface tension characteristics that change at controlled rates, the system prevents bleeding at boundaries without requiring complex additional equipment or processes. This parameter-based approach addresses the harmful effect of bleeding while maintaining relatively simple ink formulation
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 approach effectively minimizes bleeding and boundary variation between ink areas, improving the quality of images formed on non-porous base members by maintaining equal surface tension between adjacent ink droplets, thus enhancing the accuracy and clarity of the printed image.
Implementation Method 1
a first ink ejection part that ejects a first ink, a droplet of which when deposited on the base member has a surface tension that decreases with time
Data Source
AI summary
In an inkjet printer where any two ink ejection parts provided upstream and downstream in a conveyance direction of a base member are referred to as first and second ink ejection parts, the first ink ejection part ejects a first ink, a droplet of which when deposited on the base member has a surface tension decreasing with time. The second ink ejection part ejects a second ink, a droplet of which when deposited on the base member has a surface tension that is substantially equal to a surface tension of the droplet of the first ink deposited on a position adjacent to the droplet of the second ink. The printer can therefore make substantially equal the surface tensions of droplets of the first and second inks, deposited on adjacent positions, thus reducing bleeding in a boundary between areas of the inks or variation in the position of the boundary.