Nozzle Cap Segmentation for Uniform Ink Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing liquid ejection apparatuses face challenges in ensuring complete discharge of ink from nozzle caps, leading to insufficient ejection and residual ink issues when both caps are connected to the suction pump simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejection apparatus design featuring a nozzle cap with separate cap sections and a communication section that allows for simultaneous connection to the suction pump and atmosphere, ensuring uniform atmospheric pressure and efficient ink discharge from both cap sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If both cap sections are connected to the suction pump simultaneously through a branched tube, then the suction pump can extract ink from both caps, but the ink in one of the ejection units may not be sufficiently ejected and residual ink remains in the caps
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is divided into two separate cap sections, each with its own suction port. This segmentation allows independent connection to the suction pump for each cap section, enabling complete and balanced ink discharge from both ejection units without the insufficiency problems caused by branched tube connections.
2Device complexity
If a branched tube is used to connect the suction pump to two caps, then the system structure is simplified, but ink remaining in the cap sections cannot be sufficiently ejected
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a branched tube connection, the invention provides separate suction ports in each cap section. This segmentation eliminates the residual ink problem caused by branched connections while the overall system remains relatively simple in concept.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the suction function from a single branched connection and distributes it to separate suction ports in each cap section. This extraction approach ensures that ink can be completely removed from each cap section independently, eliminating residual ink while maintaining structural simplicity.
3Productivity
If the suction pump is driven with both caps connected, then ink discharge operation is performed, but uniform atmospheric pressure cannot be maintained in both cap sections leading to insufficient ejection
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is segmented into two independent cap sections, each with its own suction port and atmosphere communication capability. This segmentation ensures that atmospheric pressure can be uniformly maintained in each cap section independently during suction operations, preventing the pressure imbalance that causes insufficient ejection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces atmosphere communication ports as intermediaries that allow each cap section to maintain uniform atmospheric pressure during suction operations. This mediator approach ensures balanced pressure conditions in both caps, enabling sufficient ink ejection from both ejection units.
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 design ensures that ink is consistently and completely discharged from both cap sections, preventing residual ink issues and maintaining efficient ink ejection.
Implementation Method 1
a suction pump connected with the nozzle cap
Implementation Method 2
an atmosphere communication port for communication with atmosphere
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejection apparatus comprises a liquid ejection head, a nozzle cap, and a suction pump. The liquid ejection head includes first nozzles, second nozzles, and an ejection surface in which the first nozzles and the second nozzles are formed. The nozzle cap includes a first cap section for covering the first nozzles, a second cap section for covering the second nozzles, a communication section connected with the first cap section and the second cap section, a suction port for being connected with the suction pump, and an atmosphere communication port for communication with atmosphere. At least one of the suction port and the atmosphere communication port is provided at non-connection end portions which are end portions in the one direction of the first cap section and the second cap section and are not connected with the communication section.