Perforated Heat Roller for Uniform Inkjet Medium Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medium drying devices, such as those used in conjunction with inkjet printers, often fail to thoroughly dry the medium due to incomplete evaporation of liquid components, particularly near the center, leading to integrity issues during subsequent processing steps like stapling and punching.
Innovation Solution
A medium drying device incorporating a drying processing unit with a heat roller pair and a perforation portion that forms multiple holes in the recorded area, allowing for enhanced evaporation of liquid components through increased surface area and heat application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If heat is applied to the medium from the outside to evaporate liquid components, then surface drying is achieved, but the liquid component remains near the center of the medium in the thickness direction
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the medium into multiple sections by forming holes through it, creating separate drying zones. This segmentation allows heat to reach the center liquid components more effectively by creating pathways through the medium thickness, resolving the issue of incomplete center drying while maintaining surface drying quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces air as an intermediary substance that flows through the holes formed in the medium. This air flow acts as a mediator to enhance heat and mass transfer from the surface to the center of the medium, enabling more effective evaporation of liquid components throughout the medium thickness.
2Productivity
If air is blown to the medium for drying, then surface evaporation occurs, but the liquid component remains near the center of the medium in the thickness direction
Solution Approach 1:
By forming holes through the medium, the invention segments the medium structure to create internal flow paths. This allows blown air to penetrate deeper into the medium and reach center liquid components, significantly improving drying completeness while maintaining high drying speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from two-dimensional surface drying to three-dimensional internal drying by creating holes through the medium thickness. This dimensional change enables air flow and heat to act on liquid components throughout the medium volume, not just at the surface.
3Reliability
If a drying roller pair is used to heat the medium, then drying function is provided, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the perforation function and drying function into a single integrated roller structure. The drying roller pair simultaneously performs both hole formation and heating operations, eliminating the need for separate perforation and drying devices, thus reducing overall device size while maintaining drying effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The drying roller is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a perforation tool and a heating element. This universal component performs multiple functions (hole formation, medium transport, and thermal drying) that would traditionally require separate devices, thereby compacting the overall system.
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 device effectively dries the medium by heating and forming holes, ensuring thorough evaporation and maintaining medium integrity for subsequent processing, while also miniaturizing the device's size by integrating the perforation function into the drying rollers.
Implementation Method 1
when the medium is dried by applying heat to the medium from the outside, a liquid component near the surface of the medium is evaporated
Implementation Method 2
a drying roller pair that heats a medium while sandwiching the medium
Data Source
AI summary
A medium drying device includes a heat roller pair that dries a medium recorded and transported by a line head, and a perforation portion that forms a plurality of holes on an area including a recorded area of the medium. The perforation portion includes a plurality of piercing portions configured to pierce the medium, and the piercing portions are provided on an outer peripheral surface of a drying driving roller of the heat roller pair.