Recording Apparatus Ink Leakage Prevention via Valve Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recording apparatuses experience ink leakage when transported due to surface level differences between the ink tank and the recording head, especially when the apparatus is held in an inclined state, leading to inefficiencies in ink supply and potential ink mixing.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a first and second recording head with corresponding caps and tanks, where the control unit manages atmosphere communication valves to maintain the caps in specific states during transport, ensuring the first cap is non-communicating to prevent leakage and the second cap is communicating to prevent ink mixing, thereby controlling ink flow and reducing leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the ink tank is arranged on the front surface of the apparatus to contain a large amount of ink, then the frequency of supplementing ink by a user can be reduced, but ink may leak from the recording head when the apparatus is transported in an inclined state due to surface level difference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ink supply system into multiple independent ink tanks (first ink tank and second ink tank) positioned at different locations. This segmentation allows different communication states to be applied to different tanks based on their positions, preventing leakage while maintaining adequate ink capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic control of atmosphere communication valves that can switch between open and closed states based on transport detection. The control unit dynamically adjusts the communication state of each ink tank's cap with the atmosphere according to the apparatus's transport status and inclination, preventing leakage during inclined transport while allowing normal operation during stationary use.
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 effectively reduces ink leakage and prevents color mixing during transportation by managing the caps' communication states based on the ink tank's location relative to the recovery unit, ensuring reliable ink supply and maintaining image quality.
Implementation Method 1
a first atmosphere communication valve configured to switch a communicating state between an inside of the first cap and an atmosphere, a second atmosphere communication valve configured to switch a communicating state between an inside of the second cap and an atmosphere
Implementation Method 2
ink contained in the ink tank may travel to the recording head via the tube due to a surface level difference generated between a liquid surface of ink in the ink tank and an ejection port surface of the recording head
Data Source
AI summary
A recording apparatus includes a recovery unit including a first cap configured to cap the first ejection port array and a second cap configured to cap the second ejection port array, a first tank configured to contain the first liquid to be supplied to the first ejection port array, a second tank that is arranged farther from the recovery unit than the first tank is to the recovery unit and that is configured to contain the second liquid to be supplied to the second ejection port array, a first atmosphere communication valve, a second atmosphere communication valve, and a control unit configured to, in a case where an instruction to transport the recording apparatus is input, perform control of opening the first atmosphere communication valve, and perform control of closing the second atmosphere communication valve.