Inkjet Printer UV Curing with Movable LED Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet printers face challenges in achieving glossy printing without increasing the cost of ultraviolet lamps, as they require high ultraviolet intensity for primary curing, which leads to increased costs and reduced printing speed when trying to reduce lamp intensity.
Innovation Solution
The inkjet recording device configures multiple irradiation units in the main scanning direction, with some units movable in the vertical scanning direction to combine light sources, allowing for adjustable ultraviolet intensity distribution without the need for high-intensity lamps at all positions, enabling efficient curing while maintaining printing speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high-intensity ultraviolet lamps are used for primary curing, then curing effectiveness is improved, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ultraviolet irradiation system is segmented into multiple irradiation units (first and second ultraviolet lamps) that can be independently controlled. Each lamp serves a specific function: the first lamp performs primary curing with high intensity, while the second lamp provides supplementary irradiation. This segmentation allows the system to achieve effective curing without requiring all lamps to operate at high intensity simultaneously, thereby reducing overall device cost while maintaining curing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the printing system are provided with different ultraviolet irradiation intensities according to their specific needs. The first ultraviolet lamp positioned near the inkjet head provides high-intensity irradiation for immediate primary curing where it is most needed. The second ultraviolet lamp provides additional irradiation in areas requiring less intense curing. This local differentiation of irradiation quality optimizes curing effectiveness while avoiding the need for uniformly high-intensity lamps throughout the system, thus reducing device cost.
2Manufacturing precision
If ultraviolet irradiation is delayed to allow ink spreading, then glossy printing is achieved, but printing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The first ultraviolet lamp performs preliminary primary curing on the ink immediately after ejection from the inkjet head, before the ink has fully spread on the medium. This preliminary action stabilizes the ink dots and prevents excessive spreading, maintaining printing quality. Subsequently, the second ultraviolet lamp provides additional irradiation after the ink has had time to spread and form a glossy surface. This two-stage approach enables both high printing speed and high printing quality by combining immediate curing with delayed glossy finish curing.
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 configuration allows for the necessary ultraviolet intensity to be achieved at a lower cost without compromising printing speed, as light sources can be strategically positioned and combined to meet specific curing needs, optimizing energy use and reducing the number of high-intensity lamps required.
Implementation Method 1
an inkjet recording device that irradiates light onto ink discharged onto a medium and cures the ink
Data Source
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AI summary
It aims to achieve ultraviolet intensity as needed at low cost without decreasing printing speed. As a solution therefor, two rails are each provided on left and right sides of a printer head 105, and three LED modules 1 are provided on inner rows In and one LED module 1 is provided on outer rows Ou of the rails. These LED modules 1 can move on the rails in a vertical scanning direction. At a position D, the LED modules 1 become adjacent in a main scanning direction, whereby a total quantity of light becomes "200". At other positions, the quantity of light is "100". In this invention, providing the LED modules 1 movably on the outer rows Ou enables to configure a curing section at an arbitrary position, so that a required quantity of light can be obtained, whereby the printing speed does is not decreased; and further, the number of the LED modules 1 can be suppressed, and cost for an ultraviolet lamps 104 of a carriage 102 can be reduced.