Radial Ink Absorber Rotation for Compact Printer Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ink-jet recovery devices are difficult to miniaturize due to the linear arrangement of ink absorbers, which can cause color mixing if the same part of the absorber is used for different ink colors, leading to inefficiencies in nozzle cleaning.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates a rotation member with ink absorbers arranged around a shaft, allowing for the selective abutment of different absorbers with nozzles through a rotating mechanism, preventing color mixing and enabling compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If ink absorbers are arranged in a linear fashion along the arrangement direction of nozzles, then the recovery device can perform ink recovery for multiple colors, but the size of the device cannot be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ink absorbers are arranged radially around the rotation shaft instead of linearly along the nozzle arrangement direction. This dimensional change from linear to radial arrangement allows the absorbers to be positioned in a compact circular pattern, significantly reducing the device volume while maintaining the ability to service multiple nozzle colors through rotational movement.
2Device complexity
If the same part of the ink absorbing member is used for nozzles of different colors, then the device structure is simplified, but color mixture is caused
Solution Approach 1:
The ink absorbing member is divided into multiple separate ink absorbers, each dedicated to a specific color. This segmentation ensures that each absorber only contacts nozzles of its designated color, preventing color mixture while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. The segmented design is achieved through the radial arrangement where each absorber is positioned for contact with specific color nozzles.
Solution Approach 2:
The ink absorbers are made rotatable about the rotation shaft, allowing dynamic selection of which absorber contacts the nozzles. This dynamic mechanism enables the system to switch between different absorbers for different colors during operation, ensuring color separation while allowing a compact structural design.
3Volume of moving object
If multiple ink absorbers are arranged radially around the rotation shaft, then the device size is reduced, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation mechanism serves multiple functions: it positions the correct absorber for the current nozzle color being serviced, and it enables the compact radial arrangement of absorbers. This multi-functional approach reduces the need for separate positioning mechanisms for each absorber, thereby limiting the increase in overall mechanism complexity despite the added rotational capability.
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 solution allows for effective ink recovery without color mixing, achieving miniaturization of the recovery device while maintaining the functionality of conventional systems, with improved absorbency due to the arrangement of absorbers with varying hole sizes.
Implementation Method 1
foreign substance clogging the nozzle is absorbed with ink to the ink absorbing member by capillary action
Data Source
AI summary
An ink-jet recovery device includes a rotation member, an ink absorbing member, a moving unit and a rotation unit. The rotation member is adapted to rotate on a predetermined rotation shaft. The ink absorbing member is arranged around the rotation shaft of the rotation member. The ink absorbing member can absorb ink from a tip of the nozzle member when abutted to the nozzle member. The nozzle member is provided in a recording head of an ink-jet recording apparatus and ejects ink toward a recording medium. The moving unit brings a part of the ink absorbing member into abutment with the nozzle member. The rotation unit rotates the rotation member on the rotation shaft to switch the part of the ink absorbing member to be brought into abutment with the nozzle member by the moving unit.