Liquid Discharge Apparatus Bubble-Free Suction via Cap Gap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid discharge apparatuses with absorbers in caps fail to prevent bubble formation effectively, especially with high-viscosity inks, leading to cleaning difficulties and increased costs due to adhesive fixation of absorbers.
Innovation Solution
A liquid discharge apparatus featuring a cap member with a suction hole and a suction assisting member that forms a gap between its surfaces, allowing for bubble-free liquid suction without adhesives, using a suction pump to reduce pressure and a detachable suction assisting member for easy maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an absorber is provided inside the cap to prevent bubble generation, then ink absorption efficiency is improved, but the cap structure becomes more complex and cleaning/exchange becomes difficult due to adhesive fixation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the bubble prevention function from a separate absorber component and integrates it into the cap structure itself through the suction assisting member with gap formation. This eliminates the need for a separate absorber that would increase complexity and difficulty of maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction assisting member merges the suction function and bubble prevention function into a single integrated component that is part of the cap structure. This combination achieves bubble prevention without requiring additional separate parts or complex holding mechanisms.
2Device complexity
If conventional suction is used without a suction assisting member, then the cap structure is simpler, but bubbles remain in the cap causing printing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The suction assisting member acts as an intermediary element between the suction hole and the cap interior. It mediates the suction process by forming gaps that guide liquid flow and prevent bubble entrapment, achieving bubble-free suction while maintaining relatively simple cap structure.
3Strength
If the suction assisting member is fixed with adhesive, then it is securely attached to the cap, but maintenance and exchange become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a static adhesive bond to a dynamic, reversible attachment mechanism. The suction assisting member can be detached and reattached, allowing for easy maintenance and exchange while maintaining secure attachment during operation through the gap-forming structure.
4Reliability
If additional holding mechanisms are used to fix the suction assisting member, then attachment reliability is improved, but the number of parts and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the attachment function into the basic structure of the suction assisting member itself, eliminating the need for separate holding mechanisms. The gap-forming structure provides both the suction assistance function and the attachment reliability without requiring additional parts.
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 apparatus effectively prevents bubble formation during liquid suction, simplifies maintenance by allowing easy exchange of the suction assisting member, and reduces costs by eliminating the need for additional holding mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
a suction pump connected to the cap member via a suction hole formed in a surface of the cap member to reduce pressure in the space
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a liquid discharge apparatus capable of sucking liquid in a cap member while suppressing generation of bubbles by a suction assisting member detachable from a cap member. A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head (6) to discharge liquid from a plurality of nozzles, and a suction mechanism (8) to suck the liquid from the liquid discharge head (6). The suction mechanism (8) includes a cap member (30) to contact the liquid discharge head (6) and cover the plurality of nozzles while forming a space between the cap member (30) and the liquid discharge head (6), a suction pump (31) connected to the cap member (30) via a suction hole (31a) formed in a surface of the cap member (30) to reduce pressure in the space, a suction assisting member (32) to cover the suction hole (30a) and the surface in which the suction hole (30a) is formed in the cap member (30), the suction assisting member (32) including a surface that forms a suction path between the suction assisting member (32) and the cap member (30), and a first support (32a) to provide a gap (c1) between the surface that forms the suction path of the suction assisting member (32) and the surface in which the suction hole (31a) is formed.