Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Pressure Buffer Tanks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses face challenges in stabilizing pressure during pressurizing and depressurizing processes, leading to inefficient printing quality due to bubble formation and foreign substances in nozzles, and require frequent operation of pumps which can be limited by operational conditions.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs depressurization and pressurization buffer tanks to accumulate and control negative and positive pressures respectively, allowing for stable depressurizing and pressurizing processes, enabling efficient deaeration and pressurizing cleaning using a single pump, and minimizing apparatus size and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pump is operated for pressurizing and depressurizing processes, then liquid ejection quality is improved, but pressure stability deteriorates immediately after starting pump operation
Solution Approach 1:
The pump operates in advance to accumulate pressure in the buffer tank before the actual pressurizing or depressurizing process is needed. This preliminary action ensures that when the buffer tank communicates with the supply unit, stable pressure is already available, eliminating the pressure instability that occurs when the pump starts during the actual process.
Solution Approach 2:
A buffer tank is introduced as an intermediary component between the pump and the supply unit. The buffer tank stores accumulated pressure and releases it when needed, acting as a mediator that decouples the pump operation from the actual pressurizing/depressurizing process, thereby ensuring pressure stability during operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate pressurizing pump and depressurizing pump are used, then pressure control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single pump is designed to perform both pressurizing and depressurizing functions by controlling its rotation direction. When rotating in one direction, it pressurizes the buffer tank; when rotating in the opposite direction, it depressurizes the buffer tank. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate pumps, reducing device complexity while maintaining pressure control precision through the buffer tank mechanism.
3Ease of operation
If pump operation is limited due to operational conditions, then ease of operation is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer tank accumulates pressure in advance during periods when pump operation is not restricted, so that when operational restrictions occur, the stored pressure can be used immediately without requiring active pump operation. This ensures continuous productivity while respecting operational constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes hydraulic pressure accumulation and release mechanisms through the buffer tank, allowing pressure to be stored and transferred without continuous mechanical pump operation. This enables productivity to be maintained through fluid pressure dynamics even when active pump operation is limited by operational conditions.
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 solution stabilizes the depressurizing and pressurizing processes, improving printing quality by ensuring appropriate pressure control, reducing the need for constant pump operation, and minimizing costs by using a single pump for both processes.
Implementation Method 1
a depressurization buffer tank which accumulates a pressure by performing depressurizing
Implementation Method 2
a pressurization buffer tank which accumulates a pressure by performing pressurizing
Data Source
AI summary
A pressurizing/depressurizing method of a liquid ejecting apparatus which includes a print head which ejects liquid, and a supply unit which supplies the liquid to the print head, the method including depressurizing/pressure accumulating in which a depressurization buffer tank is depressurized, and a pressure is accumulated; pressurizing/pressure accumulating in which a pressurization buffer tank is pressurized, and a pressure is accumulated; depressurizing in which the liquid is depressurized so that a pressure is lower than an atmospheric pressure in the supply unit using the depressurization buffer tank; and pressurizing in which the liquid is pressurized so that the pressure is higher than the atmospheric pressure in the supply unit using the pressurization buffer tank.