Liftable Drying Unit for Inkjet Sheet Jam Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drying devices for inkjet recording systems face challenges in preventing temperature increases in jammed sheets and ensuring ease and safety in removing such sheets, due to residual heat from heat sources and narrow spaces between shutters and conveyance paths.
Innovation Solution
A drying device with a liftable and lowerable conveying unit and drying unit, equipped with a lifting and lowering mechanism that uses gravity to lower the lower unit and lift the upper unit, thereby opening the conveyance path and preventing temperature increases without power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a shutter is provided to block radiant heat from the heat source, then the temperature increase of jammed sheets can be prevented, but the space between the shutter and conveyance path becomes narrow making it difficult to remove jammed sheets
Solution Approach 1:
The drying device is divided into an upper drying unit and a lower conveyance unit that can be independently separated. When a sheet jams, the conveyance unit lowers to open the conveyance path, creating sufficient space for safe and easy sheet removal without contact with the heated drying unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from a horizontal shutter blocking approach to a vertical separation approach. By lowering the conveyance unit in the vertical dimension, sufficient space is created for sheet removal while maintaining the drying function when needed.
2Productivity
If the heat source continues to generate residual heat after being turned off, then drying efficiency is maintained, but the temperature of jammed sheets increases when sheets are stopped in the conveyance path
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance unit is extracted and separated from the drying unit. When sheet stoppage is detected, the conveyance unit is lowered to remove the jammed sheet from the influence zone of the residual heat from the drying unit, preventing temperature increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting and lowering mechanism acts as an intermediary between the drying unit and conveyance unit, enabling dynamic spatial separation to prevent heat transfer to jammed sheets while maintaining operational efficiency.
3Reliability
If a shutter mechanism is added to block radiant heat, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static shutter mechanism to a dynamic lifting and lowering mechanism. The conveyance unit can be lowered on demand to create safe access space, providing flexibility and safety without requiring complex shutter storage and driving mechanisms.
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 solution effectively prevents temperature increases in stopped sheets and enhances the ease and safety of removing jammed sheets by allowing the conveyance path to be opened without power, thus addressing the limitations of prior technologies.
Implementation Method 1
a lifting and lowering mechanism capable of lowering a lower unit, which is a unit provided below among the conveying unit and the drying unit, by gravity acting on the lower unit and lifting an upper unit, which is a unit provided above among the conveying unit and the drying unit
Implementation Method 2
a drying device which includes a conveying part which conveys the sheet and a heat source which dries the ink by radiant heat
Data Source
AI summary
A drying device (120) includes a liftable and lowerable conveying unit (40) which conveys a sheet on which ink is ejected, along a conveyance path (34); a liftable and lowerable drying unit (50) which faces the conveyance path (34) and dries the ink by heat; a lifting and lowering mechanism (60) capable of lowering a lower unit, which is a unit provided below among the conveying unit (40) and the drying unit (50), by gravity acting on the lower unit and lifting an upper unit, which is a unit provided above among the conveying unit (40) and the drying unit (50), to open the conveyance path (34); and a restriction mechanism (70) which restricts a lowering of the lower unit.