Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Debris Collection Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid ejecting apparatuses face issues with adhering objects removed from the medium accumulating and falling, potentially re-adhering to the medium or the liquid ejecting unit, leading to print quality degradation.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus is configured with a removal unit positioned below the medium holding unit, with a feed path extending from below, ensuring adhering objects are held lower than the liquid ejecting unit and medium holding unit, and includes a receptacle for collecting fallen objects, preventing re-adhesion and maintaining print quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a removal member is provided to remove adhering objects from the medium, then print quality is improved by preventing nozzle clogs, but adhering objects accumulate on the removal member and may fall downward to re-adhere to the medium or components below
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the removal member in a location lower than the medium holding unit, utilizing the vertical dimension to ensure that removed adhering objects fall into a collection receptacle rather than back onto the medium or liquid ejecting unit. This spatial reconfiguration in the vertical dimension prevents re-adhesion while maintaining effective adhesion removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful adhering objects from the medium through the removal member and redirects them into a dedicated collection receptacle. By separating the removal function from the medium path and providing a dedicated collection location, the system prevents removed objects from re-contaminating the printing process.
2Reliability
If the removal member is disposed in the feed path extending upward from the holding portion, then adhering objects are removed from the medium, but there is a risk that fallen adhering objects will adhere to the paper in the feed path, holding portion, and liquid ejecting unit
Solution Approach 1:
The removal member is positioned in the vertical dimension below the medium holding unit rather than in the horizontal feed path. This dimensional change ensures that gravity causes removed objects to fall into a collection receptacle below, rather than scattering into the feed path or onto components above, effectively isolating the removal process from potential contamination zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a collection receptacle as an intermediary structure to intercept and contain fallen adhering objects. This intermediary component acts as a barrier between the removal process and the feed path/holding portion, preventing direct contact between removed objects and critical components.
3Reliability
If adhering objects are removed by the removal unit, then the liquid ejecting nozzles are protected from clogs, but the removed objects accumulate and may fall onto the medium or liquid ejecting unit positioned above
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts removed adhering objects from the general environment by providing a dedicated collection receptacle positioned below the removal member. This extraction ensures that harmful debris is isolated in a controlled location rather than being free to fall onto vulnerable components or medium above.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful falling motion of adhering objects into a beneficial collection process. By positioning the removal member above the collection receptacle, gravity naturally directs removed objects into the receptacle, transforming what could be a contamination problem into an automatic collection and containment solution.
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 effectively suppresses adhering objects from re-adhering to the medium or liquid ejecting unit, ensuring consistent print quality by efficiently removing and collecting debris, thus preventing nozzle clogs and maintaining the integrity of the printing process.
Implementation Method 1
the removal unit is configured to remove the adhering objects that have adhered to the medium in a state in which a first surface of the medium, onto which the liquid is ejected, faces downward
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting unit that ejects ink onto paper, a medium holding portion that holds the paper to be fed to the liquid ejecting unit, and a removal portion that removes adhering objects that have adhered to the paper, in a feed path of the paper that is positioned lower than the medium holding portion.