Inkjet Printer Transport Path for Double-Sided Warpage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers face challenges in maintaining recording quality when printing on both sides of a sheet, as the sheet warps after ink absorption, leading to convex and concave surfaces that can cause the leading or trailing ends to lift and rub against the recording head, resulting in poor image quality and potential contamination.
Innovation Solution
A recording apparatus with a unique transport path configuration that includes a switchback path to invert and shape the medium, ensuring the second surface is convex, and a face-down discharge path to prevent overlapping and contamination, utilizing serrated rollers to minimize transcription and white spots, and independent transport mechanisms for precise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the sheet is inverted after first surface printing, then double-sided recording can be performed, but the sheet warps and the leading or trailing end is lifted causing rubbing with the recording head and decrease in recording quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by introducing a warpage prevention section that pre-counters the sheet warping effect before the sheet reaches the recording head for second surface recording. This section creates a warpage counteracting force that opposes the ink-induced warping, preventing the leading and trailing ends from lifting and rubbing against the recording head, thus maintaining recording quality while enabling double-sided recording
2Volume of moving object
If the sheet is discharged on a discharge tray outside the apparatus body, then miniaturization is achieved, but the sheet must wait on the discharge tray until standby time elapses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nested doll principle by nesting the discharge tray inside the apparatus body rather than placing it outside. The discharge tray is positioned within the internal space of the apparatus, allowing the sheet to be discharged and waited upon inside the apparatus volume. This eliminates the need for external discharge tray space, achieving miniaturization while providing a waiting period for the sheet without extending apparatus dimensions
3Ease of operation
If the second transport path is formed independently from the fourth transport path, then each path can be optimized separately, but the apparatus occupies more space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by making the second transport path (switchback path) share the same spatial region as the fourth transport path (discharge path). The switchback path is configured to bend the sheet along the discharge path rather than creating a separate independent path. This allows both paths to coexist in the same apparatus volume, maintaining separate functional optimization while minimizing the overall apparatus footprint through spatial sharing
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 configuration effectively suppresses the lifting of the leading or trailing ends during second surface recording, maintains recording quality, achieves miniaturization of the apparatus, and prevents contamination by controlling the protrusion states of the medium, thereby enhancing the overall recording performance.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing serrated rollers to minimize transcription and white spots
Data Source
AI summary
A printer includes a medium storage section that stores a medium; a recording transport path that is a transport path transporting the medium that is fed from the medium storage section and extends on an upstream side and a downstream side of an ink jet recording head; a switchback path that transports a recording sheet in a reverse direction of a transporting direction by switching back the recording sheet after transporting the recording sheet that has passed through the recording transport path and bends the recording sheet by making a first surface facing the ink jet recording head be an inside of the recording sheet; and an invert path that inverts the switchback recording sheet by bypassing the recording sheet on an upper side of the ink jet recording head and makes the medium be confluent with the recording transport path at a position on an upstream side of the ink jet recording head. A second transport path is formed along a fourth transport path.