Liquid Discharge Apparatus Switchback Path Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid discharge apparatuses face inefficiencies in drying liquids on medium surfaces, particularly due to curling issues caused by high water content inks, which affect printing quality and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a conveyance path with a switchback and ejection path, along with a drying device that can supply drying energy to both paths, ensuring efficient drying by positioning the drying device to face both paths and using a blower or heating unit to correct curling and enhance drying efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional drying device is disposed on a conveyance path to dry liquid on medium surface, then drying function is provided, but drying efficiency is insufficient and curling occurs with high water content inks
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance path is divided into a switchback path and an ejection path, allowing the drying device to process medium on different sections sequentially. This segmentation enables more comprehensive drying coverage and prevents curling by treating different areas of the medium at appropriate stages
Solution Approach 2:
The drying device is positioned to face both the switchback path and ejection path from a vertical perspective, adding a dimensional aspect to the drying coverage. This allows the drying device to effectively treat medium on multiple path sections without requiring separate drying devices for each path
2Manufacturing precision
If high water content ink is used to improve print quality, then printing quality improves, but drying becomes difficult and curling occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The medium is dried on the switchback path before reaching the ejection path, performing the drying action in advance. This preliminary drying prevents curling issues that would otherwise occur with high water content inks, enabling the use of such inks without compromising drying efficiency or causing quality defects
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 configuration improves drying efficiency, reduces curling issues, and allows for stable high-frequency ink discharge, particularly with inks having 50% or more water content, by ensuring consistent drying energy application across the medium surface.
Implementation Method 1
The drying device dries the medium both on the switchback path and on the ejection path
Implementation Method 2
The heating device faces the switchback path and the ejection path, to heat the medium onto which the liquid has been discharged
Implementation Method 3
The blower faces the switchback path and the ejection path, to blow gas to the medium onto which the liquid has been discharged
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge apparatus includes a conveyance path, a liquid discharge head, and a drying device. A medium is to be conveyed on the conveyance path. The liquid discharge head discharges liquid onto the medium conveyed on the conveyance path. The conveyance path includes a switchback path and an ejection path. The switchback path switches back a conveyance direction of the medium onto which the liquid has been discharged. The ejection path conveys the medium onto which the liquid has been discharged to an ejection port. The drying device dries the medium both on the switchback path and on the ejection path.