Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Gas-Permeable Film Valve Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet recording apparatuses face issues with ink adherence and viscosity-related failures at the differential pressure valve due to the switching mechanism between the suction pump and ink suction cap, leading to operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus with a gas-permeable film partition, a sucking device, a differential pressure valve, and a liquid holding chamber to trap ink and prevent its flow into the valve, ensuring the valve remains operational even with increased ink viscosity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single suction pump is used to selectively connect to either the air chamber or ink suction cap, then device complexity is reduced, but ink adheres to the switching portion and may flow to the differential pressure valve causing operational failure
Solution Approach 1:
A gas-permeable liquid-impermeable film is introduced as an intermediary component between the ink supply passage and gas discharge passage. This film allows gas to pass through while blocking ink, preventing ink from reaching the differential pressure valve while maintaining the simplified single-pump configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The passage system is segmented into distinct gas discharge and ink supply pathways using the selective permeability film. This segmentation creates separate flow paths that prevent ink contamination of the gas discharge system while allowing gas to move freely between chambers.
2Ease of operation
If a differential pressure valve is used to control gas discharge, then gas discharge control is improved, but ink viscosity increase causes ink to adhere to the valve and prevent normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The gas-permeable liquid-impermeable film serves as a protective intermediary that blocks ink from reaching the differential pressure valve while allowing gas to pass through, thereby maintaining valve reliability even when ink viscosity increases.
Solution Approach 2:
The selective permeability film is strategically positioned at the connection portion between passages, providing localized protection to the differential pressure valve area while maintaining overall system functionality.
3Productivity
If the sucking device operates to suck ink from the liquid ejecting head, then ink suction capability is improved, but ink flows into the gas discharge passage and adheres to the differential pressure valve
Solution Approach 1:
A gas-permeable liquid-impermeable film is used to create a selective barrier that allows gas molecules to pass through while blocking larger ink molecules, preventing ink contamination in the gas discharge passage during suction operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The selective permeability film acts as an intermediary barrier that separates the ink suction function from the gas discharge function, allowing each to operate independently without contamination.
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
Prevents ink from adhering to and disabling the differential pressure valve, maintaining the apparatus's operational integrity and efficiency by trapping ink in holding chambers, thus ensuring continuous gas discharge and ink supply.
Implementation Method 1
a gas-permeable film which allows gases to pass therethrough but not allows liquids to pass therethrough
Implementation Method 2
a differential pressure valve that is disposed in the gas discharge passage and opens by a negative suction pressure produced by the sucking device
Implementation Method 3
a suction pump that operates to suck the gas from the gas discharge passage
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus including a liquid ejecting head, a liquid supply passage, a gas discharge passage, a gas-permeable film, a switching device, and a differential pressure valve. The gas-permeable film allows only gases to pass therethrough and provides a partition separating the gas discharge passage and the liquid supply passage. The switching device selectively connects a sucking device with one of the gas discharge passage and a liquid suction cap. The differential pressure valve is disposed in a portion of the gas discharge passage between the gas permeable film and the switching device and opens by a suction pressure from the sucking device to communicate the gas permeable film with the switching device when the sucking device is operating, and prevents communication between the gas permeable film and the switching device when the sucking device is not operating.