Printer Support Member Dynamics for Ink Contamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers face contamination issues when printing on coarse media like fabric, as droplets that pass through the medium can adhere to guides or covers, contaminating the medium upon cutting or falling into ink receivers.
Innovation Solution
A printer design featuring a support member that can be switched between a supporting position to prevent medium contact with ink receivers and a retracted position to avoid droplet adherence, using flexible materials and a detector to manage the support member's position and printing operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a guide or cover is provided to support the medium and prevent it from falling into the ink receiver, then the medium can be prevented from contacting the ink receiver, but the droplets that have fallen through the medium can adhere to the guide or cover and subsequently contaminate the medium
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is configured to be movable between a support position (where it prevents medium contact with the ink receiver) and a retracted position (where it does not interfere with droplet reception). This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by allowing the support member to adapt its function: providing support when needed and retracting to avoid droplet adhesion and subsequent contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The system preemptively retracts the support member before droplets can adhere to it, preventing the harmful effect of contamination before it occurs. By controlling the timing of the support member's position, the system ensures that the medium is supported during cutting operations while avoiding droplet adhesion during printing operations.
2Reliability
If the support member is continuously arranged at the supporting position to support the medium, then the medium can be prevented from falling into the ink receiver, but the droplets can adhere to the support member and contaminate the medium
Solution Approach 1:
The support member transitions from a static continuous support configuration to a dynamic configuration that alternates between support position and retracted position. This allows the system to provide continuous support when needed while avoiding continuous exposure to droplets, thereby preventing contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member operates periodically, alternating between providing support (when the medium needs protection from the ink receiver) and retracting (when droplet reception is the priority). This periodic action ensures that support is provided only when necessary, avoiding continuous droplet adhesion and contamination.
Data Source
AI summary
A printer includes a medium transporter configured to feed out a medium in a rolled shape and transport the medium in a first direction; a head provided movably in a second direction and configured to eject droplets for image-forming downward along a vertical direction toward the medium which is transported; a receiver provided below a region of the medium facing the head along the vertical direction, and configured to receive the droplets ejected onto the medium from the head and having passed through the medium downward along the vertical direction; and a support member configured switchably arranged at a supporting position arranged between the medium and the receiver along the vertical direction and a retracted position that is retracted from the supporting position, and configured capable of supporting the medium in a state of being arranged at the supporting position.