Printer Ink Drying Route Prevents Front Surface Staining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional double-sided printers risk staining the front surface of a printing medium when turning it upside down for printing on the rear surface, as the ink on the front surface is not fully dried, leading to potential smudging or damage from rollers.
Innovation Solution
A printer design that includes a rotatable body with a sucking mechanism to attach and transport the printing medium, allowing it to pass through specific routes to ensure the front surface is fully dried before turning it upside down, using a control mechanism to manage the drying process and prevent smudging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the printing medium is turned upside down immediately after printing on the front surface, then the printing process efficiency is improved, but the ink on the front surface is not completely dried leading to staining
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by introducing a drying process before the flipping operation. The printing medium is conveyed through a drying section where ink is allowed to dry completely before the medium is turned upside down by the switchback mechanism. This preliminary drying action prevents the staining problem that would occur if flipping happened immediately after printing, thus maintaining print quality while still enabling double-sided printing efficiency.
2Speed
If the printing medium is turned upside down quickly, then the printing speed is improved, but the ink adhering to the front surface gets dirty when contacting rollers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the drying section as an intermediary between the printing section and the flipping mechanism. The printing medium passes through this intermediate drying zone where ink is allowed to dry before the medium contacts the switchback mechanism rollers. This intermediary drying section acts as a buffer that protects the printed surface from roller contact staining, enabling quick flipping without compromising print quality.
3Reliability
If a drying process is added before flipping, then ink drying is ensured, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the drying function with the existing conveying mechanism. The drying section is integrated into the transport path between the printing section and the switchback mechanism, rather than being a separate standalone drying device. The conveying rollers serve dual purposes: transporting the printing medium and providing the drying environment through controlled exposure and timing. This merging approach ensures complete ink drying while minimizing additional device complexity.
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 the front surface from being stained during the flipping process by ensuring the ink is completely dry before printing on the rear surface, maintaining print quality and preventing damage.
Implementation Method 1
a sucking mechanism which sucks the printing medium to an outer peripheral surface of the rotatable body
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a printer including: an ink-jet head; a first rotatable body; a first attaching mechanism attaching a printing medium to the first rotatable body; a separating mechanism separating the printing medium from the first rotatable body; and a control mechanism. In the printer, first to forth routes are formed. In transporting the printing medium, the control mechanism causes the printing medium having been subjected to printing on a first surface by the ink-jet head to pass through the first route, next to pass through the second route and the third route at least once, thereafter to separate from the first rotatable body, and further to pass through the fourth route to be reversed.