Movable Pushing Component for Sheet Warping in Droplet Ejectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet recording apparatuses face issues with sheet warping due to ink permeation, which can lead to changes in droplet ejection properties and maintenance challenges due to the positioning of pushing components near the head unit.
Innovation Solution
A droplet ejector design featuring a movable pushing component that can change its positional relationship with the ejection surface, allowing for orthogonal movement between a protruding and retracted position, controlled by a drive mechanism and integrated with a conveyor system to manage sheet alignment and prevent warping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a pushing component is provided in the vicinity of the head unit to prevent sheet warping, then sheet warping is prevented, but the pushing component gets in the way during maintenance operations and sheet removal
Solution Approach 1:
The pushing component is designed to be movable relative to the head unit in the ejection surface orthogonal direction, transitioning between a protruding position that prevents sheet warping and a retracted position that provides maintenance accessibility. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by allowing the component to adapt its state based on operational requirements.
2Reliability
If a pushing component is biased from above to always protrude toward the conveyance apparatus, then sheet warping is continuously prevented, but the component obstructs maintenance operations and sheet removal
Solution Approach 1:
The pushing component's biasing mechanism is designed to allow controlled movement between protruding and retracted states. During normal operation, the component protrudes to maintain sheet flatness and prevent warping. During maintenance operations, the component can be retracted to clear the maintenance path, thus resolving the contradiction between continuous warping prevention and maintenance ease.
3Manufacturing precision
If the pushing component is positioned close to the head unit for effective warping prevention, then sheet alignment is improved, but the component interferes with maintenance operations
Solution Approach 1:
The pushing component is positioned close to the head unit to effectively prevent sheet warping and maintain droplet ejection precision. The component includes a movable structure that allows it to retract from the maintenance path when maintenance operations are performed, thus resolving the contradiction between precision maintenance and operational ease.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the pushing component protrudes from the ejection surface during operation, then sheet warping is prevented, but the component must be retracted during maintenance operations
Solution Approach 1:
The pushing component is designed with a movable structure that can transition between protruding and retracted positions. This dynamic positioning capability, controlled by a pushing drive mechanism, allows the component to protrude during operation for warping prevention and retract during maintenance, resolving the contradiction between sheet flatness maintenance and device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A droplet ejector includes: at least one head unit each having a droplet ejection surface; a conveyor mechanism which conveys, an ejection target in a conveyance direction in parallel to the ejection surface, the ejection target being an object on which a droplet from the at least one head unit impacts; at least one pushing component which is arranged to be movable with respect to the at least one head unit in a direction orthogonal to the ejection surface, the at least one pushing component pushing the ejection target in a direction of droplet ejection from the nozzles while protruding from the ejection surface; a pushing drive mechanism which moves the at least one pushing component in the direction orthogonal to the ejection surface; and a control unit.