Recording Apparatus Drying Unit Airflow Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recording apparatuses face issues with uneven drying of recording media due to the leakage of high-temperature air, which affects the drying efficiency and quality.
Innovation Solution
A recording apparatus with a drying unit comprising multiple spaces and nozzles that control airflow direction and temperature, using a first nozzle to blow air towards a second space for heating and a third nozzle to suck air, effectively suppressing air leakage and ensuring uniform drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If high-temperature air is blown out from the downstream blowing nozzle to suppress leakage to surrounding members, then the influence of hot air on surrounding members is reduced, but the recording medium becomes unevenly dried
Solution Approach 1:
The drying unit is divided into multiple independent blowing nozzles (upstream blowing nozzle and downstream blowing nozzle) that can operate separately. This segmentation allows different regions of the recording medium to receive appropriately controlled airflows, preventing uneven drying while managing hot air leakage to surrounding members.
Solution Approach 2:
Different blowing nozzles are configured with different characteristics (upstream vs downstream positions, different airflow directions) to provide localized drying treatment. The upstream blowing nozzle supplies air at an intermediate stage while the downstream blowing nozzle handles the final drying stage, ensuring uniform drying across the entire recording medium surface.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If low-temperature air is supplied from the upstream blowing nozzle to function as an air curtain, then leakage of high-temperature air is suppressed, but the drying efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The drying process uses sequential periodic action where the upstream blowing nozzle operates first to establish airflow control and suppress hot air leakage, followed by the downstream blowing nozzle for efficient drying. This periodic operation pattern maintains both leakage suppression and drying efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes airflow parameters (temperature, flow rate, direction) between different blowing nozzles and operating stages. The upstream nozzle uses lower temperature air for leakage suppression while the downstream nozzle uses optimized parameters for efficient drying, achieving both goals without compromise.
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 solution allows for efficient and uniform drying of the recording medium, reducing energy consumption and maintaining atmospheric pressure within the drying unit, thereby enhancing drying quality and reducing energy requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a heater that heats air inside of the second space
Implementation Method 2
a first air blowing unit that supplies air inside of the first space to the first nozzle so that the air blows out from the first nozzle to the recording medium
Implementation Method 3
a second air blowing unit that supplies air heated by the heater to the second nozzle so that the air blows out from the second nozzle to the recording medium
Implementation Method 4
a third air blowing unit that is provided in the third space, sucks air inside of the third space via a third nozzle open opposite to the recording medium, and exhausts the air inside of the third space to outside of the drying unit
Implementation Method 5
a drying unit that is provided downstream of the recording unit in the conveyance direction and blows air against the recording medium while conveying the same to dry the ink on the recording medium
Data Source
AI summary
A drying unit has: a first space; a first nozzle provided in the first space; a first air blowing unit that supplies air inside of the first space to the first nozzle; a second space provided adjacent to the first space on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the first space and communicates with the first space; a second nozzle provided in the second space; a heater that heats air inside of the second space; a second air blowing unit that supplies the heated air to the second nozzle; a third space provided adjacent to the second space; and a third air blowing unit that sucks air inside of the third space and exhausts the air to outside of the drying unit. A direction in which air is blown out from the first nozzle has a component directed toward the second space in the conveyance direction.