Ink Jet Recording Apparatus with Partitioned Chambers for Dew Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet recording apparatuses face issues with dew condensation on conveyance guides due to moisture or solvent vaporization in the fixing nip portion, leading to recording material dirtiness and jamming.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a cooling module with a cooling fan to blow air onto the recording material, a partition wall to separate heating and cooling chambers, and an exhaust fan to ventilate high humidity air, along with fluorine-coated guides to prevent condensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pair of heating belts is used to fix ink onto recording material, then ink fixation is improved, but dew condensation occurs on conveyance guides causing recording material dirtiness and jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate functional chambers: a first chamber for heating/fixing and a second chamber for cooling. This segmentation prevents moisture from the heating zone from condensing on conveyance guides in the cooling zone, while maintaining effective ink fixation through dedicated heating belts.
Solution Approach 2:
A partition wall with a communication port acts as an intermediary structure between the heating and cooling chambers. The communication port allows controlled air exchange and moisture evacuation from the heating zone to the cooling zone, preventing condensation on conveyance guides while maintaining the thermal functions of each chamber.
2Loss of energy
If temperature inside the device drops after heating, then energy consumption is reduced, but moisture or solvent in vaporized ink condenses on conveyance guide
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fan operates in advance or concurrently with the temperature drop, actively evacuating moisture-laden air from the heating zone before condensation can occur on conveyance guides. This preliminary action prevents the harmful effect while allowing natural cooling to reduce energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling fan creates a pneumatic flow that actively removes moisture vapor from the heating chamber and transports it to the cooling chamber. This pneumatic action prevents condensation on conveyance guides while the system allows temperature reduction to minimize energy loss.
3Device complexity
If conveyance guide is disposed downstream of heating belts, then recording material conveyance is simplified, but moisture or solvent adheres to conveyance guide causing dirtiness and jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance system is segmented into zones: the heating zone with heating belts and the cooling zone with conveyance guides. The partition wall separates these zones, allowing the conveyance guide to be positioned downstream for simplified conveyance while preventing moisture from the heating zone from adhering to it.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall with communication port serves as an intermediary that allows the conveyance guide to be positioned downstream of the heating belts while preventing moisture-laden air from directly contacting the conveyance guide, thus avoiding dirtiness and jamming.
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
Prevents dew condensation on conveyance guides, reducing the risk of recording material dirtiness and jamming, while effectively cooling the recording material.
Implementation Method 1
Moisture or a solvent contained in the ink is vaporized by heating
Implementation Method 2
a cooling fan configured to blow air onto the recording material conveyed from the fixing portion to cool the recording material
Implementation Method 3
an exhaust fan configured to exhaust the air blown from the blowing fan via the communication port to the second chamber
Data Source
AI summary
An ink jet recording apparatus includes a fixing portion including a first belt, a second belt, and a heating portion, a cooling portion disposed downstream of the fixing portion in a conveying direction of the recording material and including a cooling fan, a partition wall separating a first chamber in which the fixing portion is disposed and a second chamber in which the cooling portion is disposed from each other, and including a communication port, a guide portion, a blowing fan disposed above the guide portion in the first chamber, and an exhaust fan configured to exhaust the air blown from the blowing fan via the communication port to the second chamber, the exhaust fan being disposed upstream of the cooling portion in the conveying direction of the recording material in the second chamber.