Low Thermal Conductivity Medium Support for Liquid Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses face inefficiencies in heating liquids onto media with minimal thermal energy, leading to potential damage to the medium during the heating process, and lack effective thermal management.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus with a medium support unit featuring a member with thermal conductivity of 0.4 W/mK or less, which reduces thermal energy transmission to the support unit, allowing for efficient heating with low thermal energy input and minimizing medium damage, along with a transport unit that maintains temperature control through high thermal diffusivity sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a conventional medium support unit with high thermal conductivity is used, then thermal energy is efficiently transmitted to the medium, but the medium support unit absorbs excessive thermal energy causing energy inefficiency and potential damage to the medium
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the thermal conductivity properties of different regions in the medium support unit. The supporting face that contacts the medium uses a material with low thermal conductivity (0.05-0.4 W/mK) to prevent excessive heat transmission and medium damage, while other portions of the support unit may use materials with higher thermal conductivity to ensure structural integrity and heat distribution where needed. This localized material property differentiation resolves the contradiction between energy efficiency and medium protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thermal conductivity parameter of the medium support unit by selecting materials with specific thermal conductivity values (0.05-0.4 W/mK) for the supporting face. This parameter change allows the system to optimize heat transmission to the liquid while preventing excessive heat absorption by the support unit, thereby improving energy efficiency and reducing medium damage. The supporting face may have a thickness of 2-10mm to further control thermal transmission characteristics.
2Temperature
If high thermal energy is applied to heat the liquid, then the liquid is effectively heated, but the medium support unit absorbs excessive thermal energy reducing overall energy efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting face is designed with locally differentiated thermal conductivity properties, using low thermal conductivity materials (0.05-0.4 W/mK) at the medium contact surface to prevent heat loss to the support unit while allowing sufficient heat transmission to the liquid. This local quality optimization ensures effective liquid heating with reduced thermal energy input from the heating unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The medium support unit employs composite material construction, combining materials with different thermal conductivity properties in different regions. The supporting face uses low thermal conductivity materials to minimize heat absorption, while other portions may use higher thermal conductivity materials for structural support and heat distribution, creating a composite structure that optimizes both heating efficiency and energy utilization.
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
The solution enables effective heating of liquids onto media using minimal thermal energy while reducing damage to the medium, maintaining temperature stability, and preventing thermal deformation, thus enhancing energy efficiency and product reliability.
Implementation Method 1
the supporting face is configured of a member of which thermal conductivity of at least a part is equal to or smaller than 0.4 W/mK... thermal energy which is applied to the medium is hardly transmitted to the medium support unit
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a medium support unit which has a supporting face for supporting a medium onto which liquid is ejected, and a heating unit which can heat liquid ejected onto the medium, in which the supporting face is configured of a member of which at least a part has thermal conductivity of equal to or smaller than 0.4 W/mK.