Liquid Discharge Apparatus Airflow Cover for Accurate Droplet Landing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The random direction of jet flows generated by ink droplets in liquid discharge apparatuses affects the landing accuracy of ink droplets, leading to deteriorated image quality due to uncontrolled air flows and positional displacement of ink droplets.
Innovation Solution
A liquid discharge apparatus with a transport path, liquid discharge head, carriage, cover member, and an air flow adjustment cover that directs gas flow in a controlled manner to mitigate the influence of random jet flows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If gas between the liquid discharge head and the medium is stationary, then the structure is simple, but the jet flow from ink droplets moves in random directions causing poor landing accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The gas flow control is divided into multiple independent channels corresponding to different liquid discharge units. Each channel can independently guide the jet flow from its associated liquid droplets, allowing separate control of gas flow in different regions without affecting other discharge units.
Solution Approach 2:
A gas flow guiding structure is introduced as an intermediary component between the liquid discharge head and the medium. This structure mediates the interaction between discharged ink droplets and the surrounding gas, directing the jet flow in controlled directions to improve landing accuracy.
2Productivity
If the carriage moves at high speed, then productivity is improved, but the jet flow has more time to affect other liquid droplets causing positional displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The gas flow guiding structure is positioned to act on the jet flow immediately after liquid droplets are discharged, before the jet flow can significantly affect other droplets. This preliminary intervention prevents the harmful random motion from developing, maintaining landing accuracy even at high discharge speeds.
3Productivity
If the discharge interval between liquid droplets is reduced, then productivity increases, but jet flow from one droplet affects subsequent droplets causing orbital bending
Solution Approach 1:
The gas flow control is segmented into multiple independent channels, each associated with a specific liquid discharge unit. This segmentation allows the gas flow from each discharge event to be independently guided, preventing the jet flow from one droplet from interfering with subsequent droplets from the same or adjacent units, even at reduced discharge intervals.
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 controlled gas flow suppresses the impact of random jet flows, stabilizing ink droplet landing and improving image quality by adjusting discharge timing.
Implementation Method 1
When ink, which is a liquid, is discharged from the liquid discharge head and ink drops, which are liquid droplets, land on the medium, the ink drops that are flying generate a jet flow therearound. The jet flow is an air flow generated by liquid droplets that are flying.
Implementation Method 2
The jet flow flows in a random direction and affects orbits of other liquid droplets that are flying nearby. The jet flow flowing in a random direction bends the flying orbits of ink droplets from the liquid discharge head to the medium in a random direction
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge apparatus includes a transport path that is configured to transport a medium in a transport direction, a liquid discharge head that discharges a liquid to the medium transported in the transport direction, a carriage that is configured to move the liquid discharge head in a width direction intersecting with the transport direction, a cover member that is located above the carriage and covers a movement range of the carriage, and an air flow adjustment cover that is located between the cover member and the carriage and covers the movement range of the carriage.