Inkjet Printer Vacuum Table Segmented Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers with vacuum systems face challenges in handling and transporting various print media sizes due to low versatility, leading to issues like curling, crinkling, and increased energy consumption, especially when dealing with large or rigid media that require stronger vacuum power, which can deform the media and increase manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a vacuum table with a plurality of cavity rooms and cascading air-channels that form overlapping vacuum zones, allowing for adjustable suction areas and minimizing vacuum loss by optimizing the ratio of air-channel diameters between the air-permeable media-support layer and the bottom layer, ensuring effective hold-down of print media without excessive deformation or energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If stronger vacuum pumps are used to hold down large or rigid print media, then the hold-down force is improved, but the energy consumption increases and the print media may deform
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum table is divided into multiple vacuum zones that can be independently controlled. Each zone applies vacuum only where needed to hold down specific areas of the print media, rather than applying strong vacuum across the entire surface. This segmentation allows effective hold-down of large and rigid media while reducing overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
Different vacuum zones can be activated selectively based on the size and position of the print media. The system applies vacuum force locally only to the areas where media needs to be held down, rather than uniformly across the entire vacuum table surface. This local application of vacuum reduces energy waste while maintaining adequate hold-down force.
2Manufacturing precision
If stronger vacuum pumps are used to prevent curling and crinkling of large print media, then the print quality is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum table is segmented into multiple independently controllable vacuum zones. This allows the system to maintain high vacuum pressure in specific zones where print media needs stable support for quality printing, while keeping other zones at lower or zero vacuum. This reduces the overall vacuum pump capacity needed, lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining print quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum zones can be dynamically activated and deactivated based on the size, position, and type of print media being processed. The system adapts the vacuum application in real-time, using strong vacuum only when and where needed for print quality, rather than continuously applying strong vacuum across the entire surface. This dynamic control reduces the required vacuum pump power and manufacturing cost.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a larger media-support-layer is used to handle large print media, then the handling capability is improved, but the vacuum power loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The large media-support-layer is divided into multiple vacuum zones with independently controllable vacuum levels. When handling large print media, the system activates only the necessary zones, reducing the total surface area exposed to vacuum and minimizing vacuum power loss through unchoked holes in unused areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying vacuum across the entire large media-support-layer surface, the system applies vacuum partially only to the zones where print media is actually present. This partial action reduces the total vacuum power requirement and minimizes energy loss through unchoked holes in areas without media.
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 enhances the ability to handle diverse print media sizes while maintaining print quality, reducing energy consumption, and lowering manufacturing costs by optimizing vacuum power distribution and minimizing deformation of the print media.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum system for holding down print-media on a flat surface
Implementation Method 2
applying higher vacuum power on the media-support-layer layer by applying one or more stronger vacuum pumps
Data Source
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AI summary
An inkjet printer comprising an air-permeable media-support-layer (100), positioned on top of a vacuum table; wherein the vacuum table comprises a plurality of cavity rooms, connected to a vacuum source, for forming a plurality of vacuum zones on the air-permeable media-support-layer (100); and wherein each cavity room (200) from the plurality of cavity rooms is closed by an air-permeable part from the air-permeable media-support-layer (100) for forming a vacuum zone from the plurality of vacuum zones; and wherein each cavity room (200) from the plurality of cavity rooms comprises: a) a space (230), formed by a set of walls (220); and b) a bottom layer (250) comprising a set of air-channels (255); and wherein ratio of width to length from the minimum bounding box of the area formed by the set of walls (220) is between 1:1 and 2:5.