Printing Apparatus Ink Ejection Maintenance for Port Clogging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing apparatuses face ejection failures at ejection ports due to the reaction of reaction liquid and ink during the wiping operation, which can lead to ink aggregation and clogging.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with a maintenance unit that performs preliminary ejection of ink onto the maintenance unit before wiping the ejection port surface, ensuring that any seeping reaction liquid reacts with the ink rather than the surface, thus preventing aggregation and ejection failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the ejection port surface is wiped by the cleaning member during maintenance, then deposits such as ink are removed from the surface, but the reaction liquid seeps out to a wider range of the cleaning member and causes solid content aggregation that adheres to the ejection port surface, leading to ejection failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by ejecting ink to the maintenance unit area between the first and second ejection port arrays before the wiping operation begins. This pre-positioned ink serves as a reactive barrier that will be in place when the reaction liquid seeps out during wiping, preventing the reaction liquid from reaching and reacting with the ejection port surface directly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary substance (ink) placed in the maintenance unit area to mediate between the reaction liquid and the ejection port surface. The ink acts as a buffer that reacts with the reaction liquid in a controlled manner away from the ejection ports, preventing direct contact between the reaction liquid and the ejection port surface that would cause harmful aggregation.
2Manufacturing precision
If reaction liquid is used to promote aggregation of solid content in ink, then printing quality is improved, but the reaction liquid seeps out during wiping and reacts with ink on the cleaning member, causing ejection failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses preliminary action by pre-ejecting ink to the maintenance unit area before wiping occurs. This ensures that when the reaction liquid seeps out during the wiping process, it reacts with the pre-positioned ink in the maintenance area rather than with ink on the ejection port surface, maintaining printing quality while preventing ejection failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an intermediary approach by using the maintenance unit as a buffer zone where the reaction between reaction liquid and ink occurs away from the ejection ports. The pre-ejected ink in this maintenance area serves as a sacrificial intermediary that absorbs the reaction liquid's effect before it can reach the ejection ports.
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 preliminary ejection technique effectively suppresses ejection failures by ensuring that the reaction liquid does not come into contact with the ejection port surface, thereby maintaining the integrity of ink ejection.
Implementation Method 1
a second ejection port array provided along the predetermined direction for ejecting reaction liquid that reacts with the ink
Implementation Method 2
a sheet-shaped cleaning member is pressed against the ejection port surface to wipe off the deposits adhering to the ejection port surface
Implementation Method 3
since the ejection port surface is wiped by the cleaning member, the cleaning member abuts on the meniscus surface of each ejection port. Therefore, the ink inside the ejection port seeps out to the cleaning member
Data Source
AI summary
A technique for suppressing ejection failure at an ejection port, which is caused by reaction of reaction liquid and ink during a wiping operation, is to be provided. Before the ejection port surface, on which the first ejection port array that is capable of ejecting the ink and the second ejection port array that is capable of ejecting the reaction liquid which reacts with the ink are formed, is wiped by the maintenance unit that is capable of receiving the ink and the reaction liquid, ink that does not contribute to printing is ejected to an area of the maintenance unit between an area abutted by the first ejection port array during the wiping and an area abutted by the second ejection port array during the wiping.