Recording Head Guide Member Prevents Waste Liquid Staining
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses with vertically arranged nozzles, wiped waste liquid often accumulates or drops at the lower end of the recording head, causing stains on sheets during maintenance and recovery operations.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a recording head with nozzles facing horizontally or at an upward/downward angle, a wiper to wipe from top to bottom, a guide member at the lower end to contact the wiper, and a cleaning member to remove residual waste liquid from the guide member, preventing it from accumulating or dropping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the wiper wipes the surface with the nozzles from top to bottom, then the nozzles are cleaned effectively, but wiped waste liquid accumulates or drops at the lower end causing stains
Solution Approach 1:
A guide member is introduced as an intermediary component between the wiper and the recording head. The guide member receives the wiper's wiping action and channels waste liquid through a designated path, preventing direct accumulation at the lower end of the recording head while maintaining effective cleaning of the nozzle surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide member extends in a direction perpendicular to the wiping direction, creating a new spatial dimension for waste liquid management. By projecting the guide member laterally from the recording head, waste liquid is directed along this new dimensional path rather than accumulating at the original lower end position.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a guide member is added to direct waste liquid, then waste liquid accumulation is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is designed as a thin, flexible component that can be easily attached to the recording head. This thin-film structure provides the necessary guiding function while adding minimal complexity to the overall device, as it can be integrated without requiring substantial additional structural elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide member is divided into multiple sections or segments, each performing a specific function in the waste liquid channeling process. This segmentation allows for simpler individual components that can be assembled together, reducing the complexity of manufacturing and installation compared to a single complex piece.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: a recording head with multiple nozzles on a surface of the recording head to discharge droplets, the surface with the nozzles facing in a horizontal direction or in a direction leaning upward or downward with respect to the horizontal direction, a wiper to wipe the surface with the nozzles of the recording head from top to bottom, a guide member attached to the recording head at the lower end of the surface with the nozzles, to have contact with the wiper, and a cleaning member attached to a main body of the apparatus to clean the guide member.