Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Maintenance Mechanism Cleaning Timing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses, such as ink jet printers, face inefficiencies in cleaning maintenance mechanisms, particularly due to the viscosity increase and solidification of liquids over time, which can degrade maintenance performance if not properly addressed.

Innovation Solution

A liquid ejecting apparatus with a maintenance mechanism that includes a receiving portion and a cleaning liquid supply mechanism, where the cleaning operation is executed after a maintenance operation if the elapsed time since the previous maintenance operation is between a first and second setting time, ensuring efficient cleaning and reducing the frequency of cleaning operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cleaning operation is performed frequently, then maintenance mechanism cleanliness is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to increased cleaning frequency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance mechanism cleanlinessVSAvoidcleaning operation frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of cleaning necessity by monitoring elapsed time since last maintenance operation and liquid discharge volume. Cleaning operation is preemptively executed only when predetermined conditions are met, preventing liquid solidification rather than reacting to contamination after it occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The maintenance mechanism automatically determines when cleaning is needed based on monitored parameters (time elapsed, liquid discharge amount). The system self-regulates cleaning frequency without external intervention, executing cleaning only when internal conditions indicate necessity, thereby optimizing between cleanliness and productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If cleaning operation is delayed, then productivity is improved by reducing cleaning frequency, but maintenance performance deteriorates due to liquid viscosity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning operation frequencyVSAvoidmaintenance performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors feedback parameters including elapsed time since last maintenance operation and liquid discharge volume. This feedback loop enables dynamic adjustment of cleaning timing, ensuring cleaning is executed before liquid viscosity increases degrade maintenance performance, while avoiding unnecessary early cleaning operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If cleaning liquid is supplied continuously, then maintenance mechanism cleanliness is improved, but loss of substance increases due to cleaning liquid consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance mechanism cleanlinessVSAvoidcleaning liquid consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuous cleaning liquid supply, the system implements periodic cleaning operations triggered only when predetermined conditions are satisfied (elapsed time threshold, liquid discharge volume threshold). Cleaning liquid is supplied intermittently in discrete amounts only when necessary, dramatically reducing overall consumption while maintaining adequate cleanliness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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 approach allows for efficient cleaning of the maintenance mechanism, reducing the risk of performance degradation due to liquid viscosity increases and minimizing the frequency of cleaning operations, while ensuring the maintenance performance is maintained for the liquid ejecting head.

Implementation Method 1

a cleaning liquid supply mechanism configured to supply cleaning liquid to the receiving portion in a cleaning operation of cleaning the receiving portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Data Source

PatentUS10518541B2Liquid ejecting apparatus and maintenance method for the same

Publication Date: 2019.12.31 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head having a nozzle that ejects liquid to an ejection medium; a maintenance mechanism having a receiving portion that receives the liquid which is discharged from the liquid ejecting head in a maintenance operation for the liquid ejecting head; and a cleaning liquid supply mechanism configured to supply cleaning liquid to the receiving portion in a cleaning operation of cleaning the receiving portion. If a time from when the maintenance operation of former one has been executed to when the maintenance operation of later one is executed is equal to or longer than a first setting time and shorter than a second setting time, after the maintenance operation of the later one is executed, the cleaning operation is executed subsequently to the maintenance operation of the later one.