Printing System Drying Furnace with Staged Heating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drying devices face challenges in rapidly raising the temperature of a medium for efficient drying while minimizing the risk of excessive heating, which can lead to medium deterioration.

Innovation Solution

A drying device with a heating section comprising an upstream, downstream, and intermediate heating mechanisms, where the upstream mechanism has a higher set temperature than the intermediate, and the intermediate has a higher set temperature than the downstream, with varying distances and orientations to manage temperature gradients effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the set temperature of the heating section is high, then the temperature of the medium rises rapidly, but the medium may be excessively heated and deteriorated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature rise speedVSAvoidexcessive heating
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The heating section is divided into multiple heating mechanisms (first, second, third heating mechanisms) arranged in the transport direction. Each heating mechanism has different set temperatures and distances from the medium, allowing staged heating that rapidly raises temperature while preventing excessive heating through progressive temperature reduction downstream

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different heating mechanisms are assigned different local heating characteristics: the first heating mechanism operates at a higher set temperature with a smaller distance to the medium for rapid heating, while subsequent mechanisms operate at progressively lower temperatures with larger distances to maintain and complete drying without causing deterioration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If a single heating mechanism is used, then the device structure is simple, but the temperature control precision is insufficient to prevent medium deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating section structureVSAvoidtemperature control precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The heating section is segmented into multiple independent heating mechanisms with different set temperatures and positions. This segmentation enables precise temperature control at different stages of the drying process, ensuring the medium is heated effectively without exceeding safe temperature thresholds that would cause deterioration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 allows for rapid temperature increase of the medium while reducing the risk of overheating, maintaining the medium within an optimal temperature range to prevent deterioration.

Implementation Method 1

a drying device includes a drying furnace into which a medium to be transported enters and a heating section that heats the medium in the drying furnace

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Data Source

PatentEP4640440A1Drying device and printing system
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 SEIKO EPSON CORP
  • EP4640440A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4640440A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4640440A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A drying device includes a drying furnace into which a medium 99 to be transported enters, a heating section 48 that heats the medium in the drying furnace, wherein the heating section has an upstream heating mechanism 55, a downstream heating mechanism 56 located downstream from the upstream heating mechanism in a transport direction D1 of the medium, and an intermediate heating mechanism 57 located between the upstream heating mechanism and the downstream heating mechanism in the transport direction, the upstream heating mechanism has an upstream heating member located so that a distance between the upstream heating member and the medium is a predetermined distance, the downstream heating mechanism has a downstream heating member located so that a distance between the downstream heating member and the medium is larger than the predetermined distance, the intermediate heating mechanism has an intermediate heating member located so that a distance between the intermediate heating member and the medium is larger than the predetermined distance, a set temperature of the upstream heating member is higher than a set temperature of the intermediate heating member, and the set temperature of the downstream heating member is higher than the set temperature of the intermediate heating member.