Printer Feeder Cleaning Layout With Circulating Deposit Collection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing apparatuses have low maintainability of components for removing and collecting deposits on the feeder, such as ink, due to the cleaning brush and filter being located away from the reservoir and aggregation tanks, respectively.
Innovation Solution
The printing apparatus includes a liquid tank unit and collection unit with a circulation channel and collection member to efficiently remove and collect deposits on the feeder, featuring a movable liquid tank unit and a direct connection between the liquid tank and collection channel to minimize pressure drop and facilitate maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cleaning brush and filter are located away from the reservoir tank and aggregation tank, then the components can be positioned to avoid interference, but the maintainability of the components deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the reservoir tank, aggregation tank, cleaning brush, and filter into a single integrated cleaning assembly that moves together as one unit. This merging of previously separate components allows the cleaning brush and filter to be positioned close to the feeder for effective cleaning, while also improving maintainability since the entire assembly can be removed and serviced as one unit rather than requiring separate access to multiple dispersed components.
2Ease of repair
If the liquid tank unit is made movable to improve maintenance access, then the ease of repair improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements the liquid tank unit as a movable assembly that can be moved between an operational position during printing and a maintenance position for service. This dynamic repositioning capability allows technicians to access the liquid tank, circulation channel, and collection member for cleaning and maintenance without disassembling the entire printing apparatus, thereby improving ease of repair while containing the added complexity to a single movable unit rather than requiring complex disassembly mechanisms.
3Productivity
If the circulation channel is directly connected to the liquid tank, then the pressure drop is minimized and cleaning efficiency improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and emphasizes the direct connection between the liquid tank and circulation channel as a key design feature, eliminating intermediate connections and bends that would cause pressure drops. This direct routing of the liquid flow path maximizes the cleaning efficiency by ensuring adequate liquid pressure reaches the circulation channel and collection member, while the complexity is contained within this localized direct connection rather than requiring complex routing throughout the entire 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
This design enhances the maintainability of the components by allowing easy access and efficient removal and collection of deposits, reducing the likelihood of deposit accumulation and maintaining print quality.
Implementation Method 1
a transfer member configured to transfer a deposit on the feed surface to the liquid tank
Implementation Method 2
a circulation channel through which the liquid stored in the liquid tank circulates through the liquid tank and a collection member configured to collect the deposit contained in the liquid flowing through the circulation channel
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A printing apparatus (1) includes a feeder (31) that feeds a medium (M), a printer unit (4) above the feeder (31), a liquid tank unit (5) below the feeder (31), and a collection unit (6) below a liquid tank (51) in the liquid tank unit (5). The collection unit (6) includes a circulation channel (6A) through which a liquid (L) stored in the liquid tank (51) circulates through the liquid tank (51) and a collection member (62, 63) that collects a deposit (A) contained in the liquid (L) flowing through the circulation channel (6A).