Liquid Droplet Ejecting Apparatus Air Flow Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid droplet ejecting apparatuses, such as inkjet printers, face challenges in eliminating ink mist and foreign substances like dust without affecting the traveling state of droplets, as air flow management is critical to prevent interference with droplet ejection.
Innovation Solution
A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus with a transport unit, support, liquid droplet ejecting portion, carriage, and air flow generator that controls air flow direction and strength based on the carriage's position relative to the medium, creating separate air flows to eliminate mist and dust while minimizing impact on droplet travel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If air flow is increased to force ink mist outside the housing, then ink mist discharge is improved, but the traveling state of liquid droplets is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a droplet ejection area and a mist discharge area. The air flow path is segmented so that air flows through the mist discharge area to carry ink mist outside, while the droplet ejection area maintains a controlled environment. This spatial segmentation allows independent optimization of mist discharge and droplet ejection functions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different air flow characteristics are applied to different regions of the housing. The mist discharge area has stronger air flow to force ink mist outside, while the droplet ejection area has controlled air flow to maintain precise droplet traveling. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing each region to have optimal air flow conditions for its specific function.
2Manufacturing precision
If air flow is decreased to avoid influencing droplet traveling, then droplet ejection precision is improved, but ink mist discharge becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a droplet ejection area and a mist discharge area. The air flow path is segmented so that air flows through the mist discharge area to carry ink mist outside, while the droplet ejection area maintains a controlled environment. This spatial segmentation allows independent optimization of mist discharge and droplet ejection functions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different air flow characteristics are applied to different regions of the housing. The mist discharge area has stronger air flow to force ink mist outside, while the droplet ejection area has controlled air flow to maintain precise droplet traveling. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing each region to have optimal air flow conditions for its specific function.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If air flow is created continuously to eliminate foreign substances, then cleaning effect is improved, but droplet traveling state is influenced during ejection
Solution Approach 1:
Air flow is activated in advance during the medium transport phase to eliminate foreign substances like dust from the housing before droplet ejection begins. This preliminary cleaning action ensures the ejection environment is free of contaminants. During the actual ejection phase, air flow is controlled or stopped to avoid influencing droplet traveling, thus resolving the contradiction between continuous cleaning and precise ejection.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If air flow control is precise to balance mist discharge and droplet ejection, then both functions are optimized, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a droplet ejection area and a mist discharge area. The air flow path is segmented so that air flows through the mist discharge area to carry ink mist outside, while the droplet ejection area maintains a controlled environment. This spatial segmentation allows independent optimization of mist discharge and droplet ejection functions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different air flow characteristics are applied to different regions of the housing. The mist discharge area has stronger air flow to force ink mist outside, while the droplet ejection area has controlled air flow to maintain precise droplet traveling. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing each region to have optimal air flow conditions for its specific function.
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
Effectively removes foreign substances like mist and dust without influencing the traveling state of droplets, ensuring accurate and clean ejection, and reduces the need for precise air flow control during ejection operations.
Implementation Method 1
an air flow generator (100) configured to create an air flow in an area over the support
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus includes a transport unit configured to transport a medium in a transport direction, a support configured to support the medium transported by the transport unit, a liquid droplet ejecting portion configured to eject liquid droplets to the medium supported by the support, a carriage configured to reciprocate in a scanning direction intersecting the transport direction while holding the liquid droplet ejecting portion, and an air flow generator configured to create an air flow in an area over the support. The air flow generator limits creation of the air flow when the liquid droplet ejecting portion faces the medium in an ejection direction and allows the creation of the air flow when the liquid droplet ejecting portion does not face the medium in the ejection direction, due to movement of the carriage in the scanning direction.