Printing Ink Pressure Control for Faster Differential-Pressure Startup

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing printing technologies face challenges in quickly generating a sufficient differential pressure between a supply ink storage and a collected ink storage, leading to prolonged startup times for printing.

Innovation Solution

A printing apparatus and method that utilize a first and second pressure adjustment part to control the pressure at the gas-liquid interfaces of the supply and collected ink storages, assisted by a return liquid feeder to expand or compress air layers, ensuring rapid differential pressure generation through controlled liquid level preparation and differential pressure assistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If pressure adjustment parts are used to generate printing differential pressure, then printing can be performed with proper ink flow, but it takes a long time to start printing due to slow pressure generation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting differential pressure generationVSAvoidtime until printing is started

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs liquid level preparation in advance by adjusting the liquid levels in the supply and collection ink storages before printing starts. This preliminary action ensures that when printing begins, the pressure adjustment parts can immediately generate the required differential pressure without delay, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable pressure generation and quick startup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system operates in distinct phases: a liquid level preparation phase before printing, and then the printing phase. During the preparation phase, liquid levels are adjusted to optimal positions; during printing, the pressure adjustment parts maintain differential pressure. This periodic operation allows the system to prepare in advance and then perform printing quickly without compromise.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Productivity

If liquid levels are not prepared in advance, then the system structure can be simpler, but the printing differential pressure cannot be generated quickly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of differential pressure generationVSAvoidliquid level preparation process

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs liquid level preparation in advance by adjusting the liquid levels in the supply and collection ink storages before printing starts. This preliminary action ensures that when printing begins, the pressure adjustment parts can immediately generate the required differential pressure without delay, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable pressure generation and quick startup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of time

If the supply gas-liquid interface is not lowered in advance, then the ink storage volume can be maximized, but the differential pressure generation is slower

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedifferential pressure generation timeVSAvoidink storage volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs liquid level preparation in advance by adjusting the liquid levels in the supply and collection ink storages before printing starts. This preliminary action ensures that when printing begins, the pressure adjustment parts can immediately generate the required differential pressure without delay, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable pressure generation and quick startup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 allows for quick generation of the printing differential pressure, reducing the time required to start printing by ensuring efficient ink feeding and pressure management.

Implementation Method 1

generates a predetermined differential pressure between the supply subtank and the collection subtank by making a pressure inside the collection subtank lower than that inside the supply subtank

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

feeds the ink from the collection tank 531 to the supply tank 511

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure-driven flow: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 3

feed the ink from the supply tank 511 through the ejection head 4 to the collection tank 531 by using a printing differential pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDifferential pressure flow: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS20250242600A1Printing apparatus and printing method

Publication Date: 2025.07.31 SCREEN HOLDINGS CO LTD

AI summary

The return pump which feeds the ink from the collection tank to the supply tank is provided, and the differential pressure generation assistance to feed the ink from the collection tank to the return pipe by the return liquid feeder is performed concurrently with the execution of the printing differential pressure generation. In the collection tank, the volume of the air layer above the gas-liquid interface is thereby expanded, to thereby decompress the air layer, and in the supply tank, the volume of the air layer above the gas-liquid interface is thereby compressed, to thereby pressurize the air layer. Thus, the generation of the differential pressure between the collection tank and the supply tank is assisted.