Printer Printhead Servicing via Continuous Substrate Feeding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers face downtime and reduced productivity due to the drying of water-based ink in non-functioning nozzles, which blocks the printheads and affects print quality, requiring regular servicing that interrupts the printing process.
Innovation Solution
A servicing mechanism that allows continuous substrate feeding to the printhead during idle periods, capturing ejected ink using a movable spittoon or air blower-spittoon system, preventing ink from reaching the substrate and maintaining printhead functionality without stopping the printing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If regular servicing is performed to prevent ink drying in non-functioning nozzles, then printhead reliability is improved, but printer productivity deteriorates due to halted substrate feeding
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate feeding mechanism continues to operate continuously during printhead servicing, maintaining printer productivity. The servicing operation is performed without halting the substrate feed, allowing the useful action of printing to continue uninterrupted while maintenance is performed on the printhead nozzles.
Solution Approach 2:
A spittoon is introduced as an intermediary component to capture and contain the ink ejected during servicing operations. This allows ink to be safely diverted away from the substrate, enabling continuous substrate feeding while performing nozzle maintenance functions.
2Reliability
If ink is ejected from nozzles during idle periods to prevent drying, then printhead reliability is improved, but harmful effects increase due to ink reaching the substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The spittoon serves as an intermediary device positioned between the printhead nozzles and the substrate. It captures the ink ejected during servicing operations, preventing direct contact between the ink and substrate while still allowing the beneficial nozzle clearing function to occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful aspect of ink ejection during servicing is extracted by removing the ink from its normal path to the substrate. The spittoon intercepts and contains the ejected ink, separating the useful function (nozzle clearing) from the harmful effect (substrate contamination).
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 approach minimizes downtime and maintains high productivity by allowing ink nozzle servicing without halting the printer's operation, effectively preventing ink drying and maintaining print quality.
Implementation Method 1
a blower-spittoon (302) provided in proximity of the ink nozzles (108) to capture the ink
Data Source
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AI summary
A printer is disclosed herein. The printer has a printhead having a plurality of ink nozzles for ejecting ink, a servicing mechanism for capturing the ejected ink from the ink nozzles, to service the printhead, and a control device coupled to the printhead and the servicing mechanism for regulating the servicing. As part of the regulation, the control device continues feeding a substrate towards the printhead during an idle period. The idle period of the printhead can be a duration when printing on the substrate is suspended. Further, the control device regulates ejection of ink from the ink nozzles towards the substrate during the idle period and operates the servicing mechanism during the idle period. In an example, the servicing mechanism captures the ink before the ink reaches the substrate