Liquid Ejection Apparatus Clogging Prevention via Discharge Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejection apparatuses face clogging issues due to evaporation of water content near ejection ports when humidifying liquid is exhausted, leading to viscosity increase and ejection defects, which cannot be effectively adjusted by traditional air conditioning systems.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejection apparatus with a cap unit, humidified air supply mechanism, discharge unit, and detection unit that controls the humidified air supply and discharge operations to maintain ejection capability even when no humidifying liquid is present, by increasing the discharge amount from ejection ports when no liquid is detected, thus preventing clogging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If humidified air supply mechanism uses humidifying liquid to maintain humidity in ejection space, then ejection ports remain unclogged, but when humidifying liquid is exhausted, the system cannot adjust humidity and ejection ports become clogged
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit increases the liquid discharge amount from ejection ports in advance when detecting that humidifying liquid is exhausted, before clogging occurs. This preliminary action prevents the harmful effect of clogging by compensating for the loss of humidity control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful effect of liquid exhaustion (potential clogging) into a beneficial control strategy by detecting the exhaustion state and automatically adjusting the discharge amount to maintain ejection capability, thereby turning a failure condition into a managed operational state.
2Productivity
If air conditioning system supplies air to ejection space without humidifying liquid, then system operation continues, but water content evaporates and viscosity increases causing clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The detection unit continuously monitors the humidifying liquid level and provides feedback to the control unit. When liquid exhaustion is detected, the control unit adjusts the discharge amount accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains ejection reliability despite the absence of humidifying liquid.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit changes the discharge parameter (liquid discharge amount) from normal level to increased level when humidifying liquid is exhausted. This parameter change compensates for the increased evaporation rate and maintains appropriate viscosity for ejection.
3Reliability
If cap unit seals ejection space to maintain humidity, then liquid near ejection ports remains humidified, but when no humidifying liquid remains, sealing becomes ineffective and clogging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit detects humidifying liquid exhaustion in advance and increases the discharge amount before clogging can occur, even though the cap unit is sealing the ejection space. This preliminary adjustment ensures that sufficient liquid is available at the ejection ports to prevent drying despite the sealed environment.
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 restores liquid ejection capability and maintains image quality by increasing the discharge amount from ejection ports when no humidifying liquid is available, preventing clogging and ensuring consistent printing performance.
Implementation Method 1
water content of the liquid in the vicinity of the ejection ports is evaporated to increase viscosity
Implementation Method 2
the ejection surface is covered by a capping part having a recessed shape, so that an ejection space isolated from an exterior space is formed
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejection apparatus includes a head for ejecting liquid, a cap unit for sealing an ejection surface of the head, a humidified air supply mechanism including a storing part for storing humidifying liquid and for performing a humidifying operation, a discharge unit discharges liquid from the head, a control unit for controlling the humidifying operation and a liquid discharge operation, and a detection unit for detecting whether the humidifying liquid is stored in the storing part. When the detection unit detects that no humidifying liquid is stored in the storing part, the control unit controls the discharge unit such that a liquid discharge amount from the head in the liquid discharge operation is larger than that of a case where the detection unit detects that the humidifying liquid is stored in the storing part.