Non-uniform Drying Stage for Aqueous Ink Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aqueous ink printing systems face challenges in efficiently drying images on coated substrates without increasing the complexity, energy consumption, or substrate temperatures, as existing dryers inadequately remove water and solvents, leading to issues with image fixation and substrate degradation.
Innovation Solution
A non-uniform drying stage is introduced in the printing system, which uses a combination of drying elements such as infrared radiators, microwave radiators, heat lamps, and convection heaters to direct drying only to predetermined areas of the substrates, ensuring efficient drying without significant temperature increases or system complexity, meeting the touch and stacking criteria by intensively drying areas that contact rollers and allowing remaining areas to dry sufficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If additional uniform drying stages are added to improve drying effectiveness on coated substrates, then drying quality is improved, but device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by transitioning from uniform drying across the entire substrate to localized drying at specific areas. The drying system targets predetermined portions of the substrate where ink images are present, rather than drying the entire substrate surface. This selective approach improves drying effectiveness where needed while reducing overall system complexity and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the drying process by dividing the substrate into different regions - predetermined portions requiring drying and other portions that do not require drying. This segmentation allows the system to focus drying energy only where necessary, avoiding the need for multiple uniform drying stages and reducing system complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If additional uniform drying stages are added to improve drying effectiveness on coated substrates, then drying quality is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by transitioning from uniform drying across the entire substrate to localized drying at specific areas. The drying system targets predetermined portions of the substrate where ink images are present, rather than drying the entire substrate surface. This selective approach improves drying effectiveness where needed while reducing overall system complexity and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses partial action by applying drying only to the extent necessary - specifically to predetermined portions of the substrate containing ink images. This partial drying approach is sufficient to meet drying requirements without the excessive energy consumption that would result from multiple uniform drying stages treating the entire substrate.
3Manufacturing precision
If drying temperature is increased to improve drying effectiveness, then drying quality is improved, but substrate degradation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by transitioning from uniform drying across the entire substrate to localized drying at specific areas. The drying system targets predetermined portions of the substrate where ink images are present, rather than drying the entire substrate surface. This selective approach improves drying effectiveness where needed while reducing overall system complexity and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spatial distribution parameter of drying - from uniform across the entire substrate to concentrated at predetermined portions. This parameter change allows effective drying of ink images without subjecting the entire substrate to high temperatures, thereby preventing substrate degradation.
4Productivity
If drying time is reduced to improve productivity, then productivity is improved, but drying quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by transitioning from uniform drying across the entire substrate to localized drying at specific areas. The drying system targets predetermined portions of the substrate where ink images are present, rather than drying the entire substrate surface. This selective approach improves drying effectiveness where needed while reducing overall system complexity and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous useful action by focusing drying energy continuously on the predetermined portions of the substrate that require drying. This concentrated continuous action achieves effective drying in less time compared to intermittent or distributed uniform drying approaches, thereby maintaining productivity while improving drying quality.
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 approach enables efficient drying of aqueous ink images on coated substrates, preventing adhesion issues and substrate degradation, while maintaining operational efficiency and reducing energy consumption and system complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a combination of drying elements such as infrared radiators
Implementation Method 2
a combination of drying elements such as infrared radiators, microwave radiators
Implementation Method 3
a combination of drying elements such as infrared radiators, microwave radiators, heat lamps
Implementation Method 4
a combination of drying elements such as infrared radiators, microwave radiators, heat lamps, and convection heaters
Data Source
AI summary
An aqueous ink printer includes two drying stages that enable coated substrates to be printed with aqueous ink images. The first drying stage dries substrates uniformly in the cross-process direction and the second drying stage dries substrates non-uniformly in the cross-process direction to enable only predetermined portions of the printed substrates to be dried. The predetermined portions of the printed substrates are aligned in a process direction with nip rollers or other printer components that engage the substrates after the substrates exit the second drying stage.