Liquid Ejection Apparatus Wave Suppression Air Port
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Solution Overview
Problem
In on-carriage type printers, the liquid in the container becomes agitated due to reciprocal movement, forming waves that can stick to the atmospheric air introduction port, leading to film expansion, air bubble formation, and subsequent ejection inconvenience when air enters through the port.
Innovation Solution
The atmospheric air introduction port is positioned higher than the highest level of waves in the liquid containing chamber, and a rib structure is used to prevent ink from sticking, with a defoaming portion in the upstream communication path to eliminate air bubbles, and a filter to trap bubbles, ensuring smooth liquid supply to the ejection head.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the atmospheric air introduction port is arranged in the liquid containing chamber, then air can be introduced to prevent liquid suction, but liquid waves formed by carriage movement stick to the port causing film expansion and air bubble formation
Solution Approach 1:
The atmospheric air introduction port is positioned at the upper end of the liquid containing chamber in the vertical direction, above the highest wave level that occurs during carriage movement. This dimensional repositioning ensures that the port is located in a region where liquid waves do not reach, preventing liquid adhesion while maintaining air introduction functionality.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the atmospheric air introduction port is positioned high to avoid wave contact, then liquid adhesion is prevented, but air bubbles may still form and disperse in the containing chamber
Solution Approach 1:
A communication port is provided in the upper end wall of the liquid containing chamber to introduce atmospheric air, and a suction port is provided in the bottom wall to suction air bubbles. This separation extracts the air introduction function from the problematic wave-contact zone and adds a dedicated air bubble removal mechanism to eliminate harmful factors before they reach the ejection head.
Solution Approach 2:
A communication port is introduced as an intermediary structure to control atmospheric air introduction at a safe height above wave levels. This intermediary component enables air introduction without direct liquid contact, and when combined with the suction port, creates a controlled air-liquid interaction system that prevents both liquid adhesion and harmful air bubble formation.
3Quantity of substance
If the liquid containing chamber is filled to the highest level, then liquid supply is maximized, but waves formed by carriage movement reach higher and increase the risk of liquid adhesion to the air introduction port
Solution Approach 1:
The atmospheric air introduction port is positioned at the upper end of the liquid containing chamber in the vertical direction, above the highest wave level that occurs during carriage movement. This dimensional repositioning ensures that the port is located in a region where liquid waves do not reach, preventing liquid adhesion while maintaining air introduction functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a liquid ejection apparatus configured to suppress the occurrence of an inconvenience caused by waves in a liquid. The liquid ejection apparatus includes: a liquid ejection head; a liquid container configured to supply the liquid to the liquid ejection head; and a carriage that is for arranging the liquid ejection head and the liquid container and is configured to perform a reciprocal movement. The liquid container includes: a liquid containing chamber that is configured to contain the liquid; an atmospheric air introduction port that introduces atmospheric air into the liquid containing chamber from outside. The atmospheric air introduction port is arranged at a position higher than the highest level of a wave that occurs due to the reciprocal movement in a full state in which the liquid containing chamber is filled with liquid to the highest level in a predetermined containing range.