Integrated Printer Heater Cloth Holder for Wrinkle-Free Image Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing textile printing systems face challenges in effectively drying and fixing images on cloth, as they require both drying and high-temperature heating to set the image, which can be inefficient and may cause distortion or wrinkling of the printed fabric.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a printer and a heater that share a cloth holder, allowing the printer to add images to the cloth and the heater to apply heat, ensuring efficient drying and fixing without manual handling, which reduces the risk of fabric distortion and improves operational efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a known printing apparatus uses a medium supporting unit and head to print on a medium, then the image can be printed on the medium, but the liquid applied to the medium cannot be effectively dried and fixed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the printing function and heating/drying function into a single integrated apparatus. The heating unit is integrated within the same device as the liquid discharge head, allowing simultaneous or sequential printing and drying operations without transferring the medium between separate devices, thereby improving both fixation quality and operational efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus performs multiple functions: it serves as both a printing device (liquid discharge head) and a drying/fixing device (heating unit). This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate drying equipment and enables continuous processing of the medium through printing and immediate subsequent drying in one operation
2Reliability
If textile printing systems use separate drying and heating equipment, then the processes can be performed, but fabric distortion and wrinkling occur due to manual handling
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating printing and heating functions in one apparatus, the medium remains on a single support surface throughout the process. This eliminates the need to transfer or manually handle the fabric between separate drying and heating equipment, thereby preventing distortion and wrinkling while maintaining fabric flatness
Solution Approach 2:
The medium supporting unit serves as an intermediary that holds the medium steady during both printing and heating operations. This fixed support structure prevents manual handling of the fabric, ensuring it remains flat and undistorted throughout the entire process without requiring operator intervention
3Manufacturing precision
If high-temperature heating is applied to fix the image on cloth, then the image can be set into the cloth, but the cloth may wrinkle or distort during the process
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of heating function within the printing apparatus allows for controlled, localized heating directly on the printed area. The medium supporting unit maintains the fabric in a stable, flat position during this heating process, preventing wrinkles and distortion while ensuring proper image fixation through controlled thermal application
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 integrated system ensures high-quality image fixation on the cloth by maintaining the fabric's flatness and preventing wrinkles, enhancing the efficiency of the printing and fixing processes while allowing for continuous operation and automated handling.
Implementation Method 1
a heater to heat the cloth
Implementation Method 2
a drying unit disposed in a heat area to dry the liquid landing on the medium
Data Source
AI summary
An image adding system includes a cloth holder to hold a cloth to which an image is added, a printer to print the cloth held by the cloth holder with an image, and a heater to heat the cloth. The cloth holder is used by both the printer and the heater with the cloth held on the cloth holder when the printer prints the image on the cloth and the heater heats the cloth.