Printer Circulating Mechanism Inversion for Leakage Prevention

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional printers with circulating devices positioned above the head suffer from increased size and leakage issues, where leaked liquid can adhere to the head or sheets, leading to discharge failures and inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A printer design with a circulating mechanism where the sub tank, first pump, second pump, first pressure gauge, and second pressure gauge are positioned below the head, allowing for pressure control and ink circulation without increasing the printer's size, and preventing liquid leakage from adhering to the head or sheets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the circulating device is positioned above the head, then the gas can be effectively removed from the liquid, but the printer size increases in the up-down direction and leaked liquid can adhere to the head or sheet

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas removal effectivenessVSAvoidprinter size in up-down direction

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by positioning the circulating device below the head instead of above it. This inversion resolves the contradiction by eliminating the risk of leaked liquid adhering to the head or sheet while maintaining effective gas removal through the submersible pump design that can handle gas-liquid mixtures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If the circulating device is positioned above the head, then the gas can be effectively removed from the liquid, but the printer size increases in the up-down direction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas removal effectivenessVSAvoidprinter height

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by positioning the circulating device below the head instead of above it. This inversion resolves the contradiction by eliminating the risk of leaked liquid adhering to the head or sheet while maintaining effective gas removal through the submersible pump design that can handle gas-liquid mixtures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If the circulating device is positioned above the head, then the gas can be effectively removed from the liquid, but leaked liquid can adhere to the head or sheet

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas removal effectivenessVSAvoidliquid leakage adhesion to head or sheet

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by positioning the circulating device below the head instead of above it. This inversion resolves the contradiction by eliminating the risk of leaked liquid adhering to the head or sheet while maintaining effective gas removal through the submersible pump design that can handle gas-liquid mixtures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the circulating device from the space above the head and relocates it to the space below the head. This extraction eliminates the harmful effect of potential liquid leakage onto the head or sheet while preserving the gas removal function through the submersible pump's ability to handle gas-liquid mixtures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 configuration maintains a compact size while effectively preventing liquid leakage from adhering to the head or sheets, ensuring reliable ink discharge and circulation, thus enhancing printer performance and efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a first pump configured to adjust the first pressure; a second pump configured to adjust the second pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure control: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS11325395B2Printer including liquid discharge head

Publication Date: 2022.05.10 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

There is provided a printer including: a casing defining an internal space; a conveyor; a head; a tank, a first channel communicating the tank and the head with each other; a first pressure gauge; a first pump; a second channel communicating the tank and the head with each other; a second pressure gauge; and a second pump. The internal space includes a first space defined between a first virtual surface and a second virtual surface which are parallel to a conveyance direction and an up-down direction 7, and a second space which is different from the first space; the head is positioned in the first space; and the tank, the first pressure gauge, the first pump, the second pressure gauge, and the second pump are positioned in the second space.