Liquid Ejecting Head Replacement Suction and Atmosphere Valve Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses face challenges in uniformly discharging liquid from the liquid ejecting head during replacement, leading to prolonged replacement times and potential ink leakage, especially with line-type heads where nozzles intersect with the medium and ejection directions.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a suction mechanism that performs suction for a predetermined time with the opening/closing valve and atmosphere release valve closed, followed by opening the atmosphere release valve to ensure uniform discharge, and then closes it to prevent leakage, facilitating easy replacement and minimizing contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vacuum pump is used to discharge liquid from old printing head prior to removal, then liquid leakage is prevented, but discharge time becomes excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge process is divided into two distinct phases: a suction phase where the suction mechanism operates in isolation to create negative pressure, and a discharge phase where the atmosphere release valve opens to allow liquid ejection. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both rapid discharge and leakage prevention by controlling when each mechanism operates.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction mechanism performs preliminary suction action before the atmosphere release valve opens, pre-establishing negative pressure within the printing head. This preliminary action prepares the system for rapid liquid discharge when the valve opens, reducing overall discharge time while ensuring liquid is held securely during the suction phase.
2Adaptability or versatility
If line type liquid ejecting head is used with nozzles intersecting medium transport and ejection directions, then printing functionality is achieved, but uniform liquid discharge becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The atmosphere release valve acts as an intermediary mechanism that mediates between the suction mechanism and the liquid ejection process. By controlling the timing of atmosphere release, it ensures uniform pressure distribution across all nozzles, enabling uniform liquid discharge from the line type head despite the complex nozzle arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pressure parameter dynamically during the discharge process. The suction mechanism first creates negative pressure, then the atmosphere release valve opens to allow atmospheric pressure to equalize, creating a pressure differential that drives uniform liquid discharge from all nozzles simultaneously.
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 method allows for efficient and uniform discharge of liquid from the liquid ejecting head, reducing replacement time and preventing ink leakage, thereby simplifying the replacement process and maintaining apparatus cleanliness.
Implementation Method 1
a suction mechanism capable of sucking the liquid in the liquid ejecting head... performing a suction by the suction mechanism for a predetermined time
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting portion configured to eject a liquid, a liquid supply flow path of which a downstream end portion is attachably/detachably connected to the liquid ejecting portion and through which the liquid is supplied from a liquid accommodating portion that accommodates the liquid to the liquid ejecting portion, an opening/closing valve capable of opening and closing the liquid supply flow path, an atmosphere communication path connected to the liquid supply flow path on a downstream side of the opening/closing valve, an atmosphere release valve capable of opening and closing the atmosphere communication path, a suction mechanism capable of sucking the liquid in the liquid ejecting portion, and a control device configured to control operations of the opening/closing valve, the atmosphere release valve, and the suction mechanism.