Integrated Processing-Head Carriage for Compact Textile Inkjet Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inkjet recording devices face challenges in efficiently applying pre-processing and post-processing solutions to wide, long recording media, such as fabrics, while maintaining image quality and reducing device size.
Innovation Solution
An inkjet recording device with a carriage that integrates ink heads, pre-processing heads, and post-processing heads, allowing for simultaneous application of solutions and ink on a wide recording medium through a serial printing method, optimizing head arrangements to minimize device length and ensure precise solution landing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate processing units are used for pre-processing, ink ejection, and post-processing, then each process can be optimized independently, but the device size and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines pre-processing heads, ink heads, and post-processing heads into a single integrated carriage assembly. This merging of previously separate processing units allows the device to maintain independent optimization of each process while reducing overall device complexity and size. The integrated design enables all processing functions to be performed in one coordinated operation rather than requiring separate machines or modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The carriage assembly serves multiple functions by integrating different types of heads (pre-processing, ink ejection, and post-processing) into a single movable unit. This multi-functional design allows the same carriage structure to perform diverse operations on the recording medium, eliminating the need for separate specialized devices for each processing step and thereby reducing overall system complexity.
2Area of stationary object
If the recording medium is wide, then more heads are needed to cover the entire width, but the device length and reciprocation distance increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extending the device length to accommodate more heads for wider recording media, the patent arranges multiple heads (pre-processing, ink, and post-processing) in the width direction within a compact carriage. This dimensional reorganization allows the device to handle wide media by utilizing the width dimension of the carriage rather than increasing the length dimension of the entire device, thereby reducing the reciprocation distance required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple processing functions into a single carriage that spans the required width. By combining pre-processing heads, ink heads, and post-processing heads into one integrated unit, the device achieves wide-format printing capability without requiring multiple separate devices or an excessively long reciprocation path, thus reducing the overall device length requirement.
3Reliability
If pre-processing and post-processing solutions are applied separately before and after ink ejection, then each solution can be optimized for its specific function, but the number of processing steps and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated carriage enables continuous processing by performing pre-processing, ink ejection, and post-processing in an uninterrupted sequence as the carriage moves across the recording medium. This continuous action eliminates idle time between separate processing steps and allows all three operations to flow seamlessly into one another, thereby maintaining solution optimization while significantly improving processing speed and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The carriage performs pre-processing actions before ink ejection and post-processing actions immediately after, all within a single reciprocation cycle. This preliminary and immediate processing approach ensures that each solution is applied at the optimal time for its function while completing all processing steps within one continuous operation, thereby maintaining functional optimization without increasing total processing time.
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 device enables efficient, compact textile printing with improved fixability and fastness of ink on fabrics by integrating pre-processing and post-processing solutions, enhancing image quality and simplifying the printing process.
Implementation Method 1
an ink head that ejects an ink for image formation toward a recording medium
Implementation Method 2
processing heads that eject the pre-processing solution and the post-processing solution
Data Source
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AI summary
An inkjet recording device includes a conveyance unit, a carriage, one or a plurality of ink heads, a pre-processing head, and a post-processing head. The conveyance unit is configured to convey a recording medium in a conveyance direction. The carriage is configured to reciprocate in a main scanning direction intersecting the conveyance direction. The plurality of ink heads is located on the carriage and each eject an ink. The pre-processing head is arranged upstream of the plurality of ink heads in the conveyance direction and ejects a non-colored pre-processing solution. The post-processing head is arranged downstream of the plurality of ink heads in the conveyance direction and ejects a non-colored post-processing solution. The plurality of ink heads includes a plurality of same-color ink heads arranged to align in the conveyance direction to eject a same-color ink.