Nozzle Flushing for Ceramic Ink Sedimentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid droplet ejection apparatuses face nozzle clogging due to sedimentation of solid particles with higher specific gravity in ink chambers, especially at end portions, leading to uneven ejection and reduced operational stability.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a flushing operation with a higher ejection pulse frequency and volume for ink chambers at end portions compared to central portions, using a combination of regular and large liquid droplet ejection pulses, and incorporating a detection system to adjust the flushing amount based on sedimentation progress, while circulating ink to maintain uniform concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If ink is supplied to ink chambers from a common ink chamber, then the ink flow system is simplified, but solid particles settle out faster at end portion ink chambers causing nozzle clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of ink chambers based on their position. End portion ink chambers receive a different flushing pulse frequency and volume compared to central ink chambers. This localized differentiation addresses the specific sedimentation problem at end portions without unnecessarily increasing ink consumption from central chambers, thus maintaining reliability while managing the simplified common ink chamber supply system.
2Stability of the object's composition
If uniform liquid droplet ejection is performed from all ink chambers, then printing consistency is maintained, but end portion nozzles become clogged due to solid particle sedimentation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action through the flushing operation that is periodically applied to ink chambers. The control unit performs flushing by applying ejection pulses at specific frequencies and volumes at predetermined intervals. This periodic flushing prevents solid particle sedimentation and maintains nozzle operability while allowing uniform printing to occur between flushing cycles, thus resolving the contradiction between printing consistency and nozzle reliability.
3Reliability
If flushing operation is performed with high ejection pulse frequency and volume, then solid particle sedimentation is suppressed, but ink consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of ink chambers based on their position. End portion ink chambers receive a different flushing pulse frequency and volume compared to central ink chambers. This localized differentiation addresses the specific sedimentation problem at end portions without unnecessarily increasing ink consumption from central chambers, thus maintaining reliability while managing the simplified common ink chamber supply system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by applying flushing operations selectively rather than uniformly to all ink chambers. The control unit determines different flushing amounts based on the position of each ink chamber, applying excessive flushing action only where needed (end portions) and minimal or no flushing to central chambers. This reduces overall ink consumption while maintaining effective clogging prevention where sedimentation occurs.
4Reliability
If ink chambers at end portions are flushed more frequently, then nozzle clogging is prevented, but overall ink consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial action by applying flushing operations selectively rather than uniformly to all ink chambers. The control unit determines different flushing amounts based on the position of each ink chamber, applying excessive flushing action only where needed (end portions) and minimal or no flushing to central chambers. This reduces overall ink consumption while maintaining effective clogging prevention where sedimentation occurs.
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
Effectively suppresses sedimentation and prevents nozzle clogging, ensuring stable and long-term ejection of liquid droplets with minimal ink consumption by optimizing the flushing operation based on sedimentation detection and specific gravity.
Implementation Method 1
a light projection unit 31 that projects detection light L and a light reception unit 32 that receives the detection light L
Implementation Method 2
each partition wall 14 between the neighboring ink chambers 11, 11 is formed of a piezoelectric element as ejection energy giving means
Implementation Method 3
the solid particles contained in a ceramic ink or a white ink have the higher specific gravity than regular color pigment particles, the solid particles in the ink are apt to settle out in a region having the low ink flowability
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid droplet ejection apparatus including a head 1 in which a plurality of ink chambers 11 are aligned in one or both of an X direction and a Y direction, liquid droplets are ejected from nozzles 12, and printing is carried out in a print region of a recording medium based on print data, wherein the ink contains a dispersion medium and solid particles having higher specific gravity than that of the dispersion medium, and the liquid droplet ejection apparatus includes a flushing device that performs a flushing operation when the head 1 is present in a non-print region in such a manner that an amount of liquid droplets ejected from the nozzle 11b placed at an end portion in an alignment direction becomes larger than an amount of liquid droplets ejected from the nozzle 11a placed in a central portion in the alignment direction.