Partition Member Blocks Fan Airflow to Cool Inkjet Head
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Solution Overview
Problem
The air flow generated by a fan in ink jet printers can affect the ejection precision of ink onto a recording medium, leading to a decrease in image quality due to cooling mechanisms that are not effectively isolated from the scanning area.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejection apparatus with a partition member and cooling fin that separates the scanning area from the fan, blocking the air flow and directing it to cool the partition member, which in turn cools the liquid ejecting head while preventing air flow into the scanning area, thus maintaining ejection precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a fan is used to cool the liquid ejecting head, then the cooling effect is improved, but the ejection precision deteriorates due to air flow interference
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus is divided into separate functional zones: a cooling zone where the fan operates to cool the liquid ejecting head, and a scanning zone where ink ejection occurs. The partition member physically segments these zones, allowing the fan to cool the head without its air flow interfering with the precise ink ejection process in the scanning area.
Solution Approach 2:
A partition member is introduced as an intermediary element between the fan and the scanning area. This partition blocks the harmful air flow from reaching the scanning area while still allowing the cooling function to operate effectively on the liquid ejecting head, thus mediating between the cooling requirement and the precision ejection requirement.
2Temperature
If the fan blows air directly into the scanning area for cooling, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the image quality deteriorates due to air flow affecting ejection precision
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is segmented from the scanning function by introducing a partition member. The fan continues to blow air for efficient cooling, but the partition segments the air flow path so that cooled air reaches the liquid ejecting head without directly entering the scanning area, thus maintaining both cooling efficiency and image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful air flow effect is extracted or removed from the scanning area by using the partition member to block it. The cooling function is retained and redirected to cool the liquid ejecting head indirectly, separating the beneficial cooling effect from the harmful air flow interference in the scanning zone.
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 solution effectively cools the liquid ejecting head and carriage motor while preventing air flow interference, thereby maintaining the precision of ink ejection and improving image quality by isolating the cooling process from the scanning area.
Implementation Method 1
a fan that blows gas toward a scanning area of the carriage
Implementation Method 2
a partition member that is positioned so as to separate the scanning area of the carriage from the fan and block the gas blown from the fan toward the scanning area of the carriage
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head that ejects a liquid onto a target; a carriage that is moved to scan in a direction perpendicular to a transportation direction of the target with the liquid ejecting head being mounted on the carriage; a fan that blows gas toward a scanning area of the carriage; and a partition member that is positioned so as to separate the scanning area of the carriage from the fan and block the gas blown from the fan toward the scanning area of the carriage.