Inkjet Printer Drying Acceleration for End Region Smearing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers face issues with ink smearing at the end regions of the platen during printing, leading to suboptimal printing quality due to uneven drying conditions.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with a drying acceleration part that has a higher drying capacity at the end regions compared to the central region, utilizing a combination of fixed fans and heaters, and adjustable carriage fans to optimize air velocity and temperature distributions to prevent smearing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If air of the fan is uniformly blown to the entire region of the recording medium, then uniform drying of ink is achieved, but ink smearing occurs in end regions of the platen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by setting different drying capacities for different regions of the platen. Specifically, the drying capacity is made higher in end regions compared to the central region, creating a non-uniform drying pattern that matches the local needs of each area to prevent smearing without over-drying the center.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of drying capacity distribution across the platen surface. By adjusting fan speeds, heater temperatures, or other drying parameters to create a gradient where end regions receive stronger drying action than the center, the system prevents ink smearing in vulnerable areas while maintaining overall printing quality.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If drying capacity is increased in end regions to prevent smearing, then ink smearing is suppressed, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing drying capacity across the entire platen, the patent applies local quality by concentrating enhanced drying capacity only in the end regions where smearing occurs. This targeted approach suppresses ink smearing in critical areas while avoiding unnecessary energy expenditure in the central region where smearing is not an issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by providing excessive drying capacity only where needed (end regions) rather than uniformly across the entire platen. This means the drying system operates at higher capacity locally in end regions to prevent smearing, while maintaining normal or reduced capacity in the central region, thereby optimizing overall power consumption.
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 suppresses ink smearing at the end regions by enhancing drying capacity where needed, reducing power consumption and maintaining high printing quality.
Implementation Method 1
a fan is disposed above a platen in such a manner as to overlap the platen in plan view for the purpose of achieving good printing quality while ensuring productivity for ink discharged from a recording unit
Implementation Method 2
air of the fan is uniformly blown to the entire region of the recording medium so as to uniformly dry the ink on the recording medium
Implementation Method 3
a heater provided at the support part, and a heating temperature of the heater disposed in the end region of the support part may be higher than a heating temperature of the heater disposed in the central region of the support part
Data Source
AI summary
The printing apparatus includes a support part (platen) configured to support a recording medium (roll sheet), a printing part (printing unit) configured to form an image by discharging ink to a roll sheet supported on a platen while reciprocating in a main scanning direction, and a drying acceleration part configured to accelerate drying of the ink discharged by the printing unit and applied on the roll sheet in a state where the roll sheet is supported on the platen, in which a drying capacity of the drying acceleration part is higher in an end region of the platen than in a central region of the platen in a reciprocation direction of the printing unit.