Printer Head with Radial Nozzle Array for Strand Element Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printing on three-ply twisted fibers is inefficient due to the large diameter of the threads and the small, unidirectional ink droplets, which fail to fully coat or absorb into the thread.
Innovation Solution
A printer head with a conduit and multiple nozzles positioned around the perimeter of a cavity, dispensing fluid in the form of pressure-driven menisci that extend radially to coat the thread from multiple directions, allowing for greater fluid volume to be absorbed or coated onto the thread.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional inkjet printing is used on three-ply twisted fibers, then the printing process is simple, but the ink droplet volume is too small to fully coat or absorb into the thread
Solution Approach 1:
The ink delivery system is segmented into multiple nozzles arranged in a circular array, with each nozzle delivering ink to a different angular position around the thread. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high total ink volume delivery while maintaining a relatively simple individual nozzle structure, resolving the contradiction between ink quantity and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ink delivery approach transitions from unidirectional (conventional inkjet) to multidirectional by arranging nozzles in a circular array around the thread. This dimensional change enables simultaneous ink delivery from multiple angles, dramatically increasing the effective ink volume that can be applied to the thread cross-section without proportionally increasing device complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional unidirectional inkjet printing is used, then the device structure is simple, but the ink coverage on the thread is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The circular array of nozzles segments the ink delivery task across multiple angular positions, with each nozzle responsible for a specific sector of the thread circumference. This segmentation ensures uniform ink distribution around the entire thread cross-section, achieving high manufacturing precision while the modular nozzle arrangement keeps device complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds angular dimensionality to the ink delivery process by arranging nozzles in a circular pattern around the thread rather than using a single unidirectional nozzle. This multidirectional approach ensures uniform ink coverage across the thread cross-section, significantly improving manufacturing precision while the regular circular pattern maintains reasonable device complexity.
3Quantity of substance
If small volume ink droplets are used, then the inkjet printer is easy to control, but the ink volume is too low to coat large diameter threads effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The total ink volume requirement is segmented across multiple nozzles, each delivering a smaller controlled droplet. The cumulative effect of multiple simultaneous droplet deliveries from different angular positions achieves the required total ink volume for coating large diameter threads, while individual nozzle control remains simple and productivity is maintained through parallel delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the output of multiple nozzles delivering ink simultaneously to different angular positions around the thread. This combining of multiple small-volume deliveries achieves the equivalent effect of a single large-volume delivery, solving the contradiction between maintaining easy control of small droplets and achieving sufficient total ink volume for effective thread coating at high productivity.
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 enables effective coating and absorption of ink onto the thread, overcoming the limitations of conventional inkjet printing by providing a larger fluid volume and ensuring thorough coverage, even at higher thread speeds.
Implementation Method 1
dispensing fluid in the form of pressure-driven menisci that extend radially to coat the thread from multiple directions
Implementation Method 2
allowing for greater fluid volume to be absorbed or coated onto the thread
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method of printing on a strand element with a printer head. The printer head includes a conduit and a cavity formed within the conduit, wherein the cavity is configured to receive the strand element and pass the strand element from a first end of the cavity to a second end of the cavity. The printer head also includes a first set of fluid nozzles formed on the conduit and positioned on a perimeter of the cavity around a first target location within the cavity, wherein each of the fluid nozzles in the first set is positioned to aim at the first target location, and the first target location corresponds to a location of a first segment of the strand element when the strand element is positioned within the cavity.