Recording Head Cleaning with Narrow Liquid Application Width
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cleaning methods for recording heads result in overflow and inadequate application of cleaning liquid due to non-integral blade and plate configurations, leading to insufficient cleaning and potential damage to the nozzle formation surface.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning apparatus with a flexible liquid application head and a wider liquid removal unit, where the application width is narrower than the nozzle surface and the removal width is wider, allowing for controlled application and removal of cleaning liquid, accommodating uneven surfaces and preventing overflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a blade is used to wipe off the nozzle formation surface, then ejection performance is restored, but the blade may damage the nozzle surface when adhering force of ink is large
Solution Approach 1:
A blade made of flexible material (such as rubber or resin) is used as an intermediary between the cleaning force and the nozzle surface. The flexible blade material provides cushioning effect, reducing direct mechanical damage to the delicate nozzle surface while still effectively removing adhered ink through the blade's wiping action.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade is designed with specific physical parameters including flexibility (elastic modulus), hardness, and thickness that are optimized to balance cleaning effectiveness and surface protection. By adjusting these parameters, the blade can adapt to different ink adhering forces while maintaining safe contact pressure on the nozzle surface.
2Reliability
If cleaning liquid is supplied from between the blade and opposed plate, then the nozzle surface is cleaned with the blade wet, but the cleaning liquid overflows and large amounts are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning liquid supply is extracted from the conventional position (between blade and plate) and redirected to be supplied directly onto the nozzle formation surface. This extraction of the supply point eliminates the overflow problem caused by the closed space between blade and plate, allowing precise application of cleaning liquid only where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade is designed with a specific shape (such as a curved or contoured surface) that copies or follows the geometry of the nozzle formation surface. This shape matching ensures that the blade maintains optimal contact with the surface during wiping while allowing cleaning liquid to be evenly distributed across the nozzle area without overflowing to surrounding regions.
3Ease of manufacture
If the blade width matches the plate width, then the structure is simple, but cleaning liquid cannot be precisely applied to the nozzle formation surface
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is designed with non-uniform properties across its width - the central portion (corresponding to the nozzle formation surface area) has different dimensions or material characteristics compared to the edges. This local differentiation allows the blade to precisely target the nozzle surface for cleaning while the overall structure remains relatively simple to manufacture.
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
Effectively cleans the nozzle formation surface by ensuring the appropriate amount of cleaning liquid is applied and removed, reducing damage and maintaining ejection performance.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible cleaning-liquid application member 51... the cleaning-liquid application member 51 having a tip end portion 51t that is thinner than a root portion 51d thereof
Implementation Method 2
a configuration in which a cleaning liquid is supplied from between a wipe blade and a plate opposed to the wipe blade, and a nozzle surface of an ejection head is cleaned with the blade wet
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning apparatus for a recording head that ejects ink onto a recording medium, including a liquid application head to apply a liquid to a nozzle formation surface of the recording head and a liquid removal unit to remove the liquid from the nozzle formation surface. The liquid application head has a liquid application member having flexibility and a first surface on an upstream side in a liquid application direction, a second surface crossing the first surface, and a third surface on a downstream side in the liquid application direction, the first an second surfaces contacting the nozzle formation surface, the third surface and the nozzle formation surface having a gap therebetween, and a liquid supply member having a supply flow path to supply the liquid to the nozzle formation surface. A liquid application width of the liquid application head is narrower than a width of the nozzle formation surface.