Movable Blade Cleaner for Ink Contamination in Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image recording apparatuses face issues where the blade cleaner, used for maintaining the wiper blade's performance, retains ink and may drop it onto the recorded material, leading to contamination during printing.
Innovation Solution
A movable blade cleaner system that changes positions between a cleaning position and a receiving position, utilizing a receiving member to collect ink cleared away from the wiper blade, preventing ink from dropping onto the recorded material and maintaining the blade cleaner's performance over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the blade cleaner is fixed on the carriage to clean the wiper blade, then the wiper blade performance is maintained, but ink accumulates on the blade cleaner and may drop onto the recorded material causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The blade cleaner is made movable relative to the carriage, capable of switching between a cleaning position (first position) where it contacts the wiper blade and a receiving position (second position) where it is retracted. This dynamic positioning prevents ink accumulation and dropout onto recorded material while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
A receiving member is introduced as an intermediary component to collect ink that is cleared away from the wiper blade. The receiving member is positioned to receive the ink when the blade cleaner is in the receiving position, preventing the ink from dropping onto the recorded material.
2Productivity
If the blade cleaner remains in the cleaning position continuously, then the wiper blade can be cleaned frequently, but ink drops from the blade cleaner onto the recorded material during printing
Solution Approach 1:
The blade cleaner performs periodic movement between the cleaning position and the receiving position. During printing operations, the blade cleaner is positioned in the receiving position to prevent ink dropout. Cleaning operations are performed periodically when the carriage is at appropriate positions, balancing cleaning frequency with prevention of ink contamination.
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 system effectively prevents ink contamination on the recorded material and maintains the blade cleaner's performance by ensuring ink is collected and not dropped during printing, allowing for continued effective cleaning of the wiper blade.
Implementation Method 1
a wiper blade to be in sliding contact with the discharge port surface of the recording head
Implementation Method 2
wiping away ink droplets and foreign matters such as dust deposited in the vicinity of the discharge port
Implementation Method 3
a cleaner member provided at the carriage and relatively moving with respect to the wiper due to the movement of the carriage, and cleaning the wiper
Data Source
AI summary
A recording apparatus has a receiving member provided at a carriage having thereon a recording head and reciprocally moving, and receiving a liquid cleared away from a wiper for wiping and cleaning the recording head by a cleaner member. The cleaner member can assume, with respect to the carriage, a first position capable of cleaning the wiper, and a second position allowing the receiving member to receive the liquid cleared away from the wiper by the cleaner member.