Roll Wiping Member Unit With Weak Portion for Reliable Head Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
In liquid ejecting apparatuses, there is a discrepancy between the take-up roller rotation and the amount of wiping member used, leading to instances where the liquid ejecting head is not properly wiped, as the take-up roller may rotate without a wiping member, resulting in incomplete maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A roll wiping member unit with a long wiping member wound on a core, featuring a weak portion near the terminating end that fails to withstand tensile loads, allowing for reliable wiping and accurate determination of the wiping member's usage by separating at this weak point.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the take-up roller rotates to wind up the wiping member, then the wiping member is taken up, but the take-up roller may rotate without a wiping member when the amounts do not match, resulting in failure to wipe the liquid ejecting head
Solution Approach 1:
A weak portion is preliminarily formed in the wiping member at a position closer to the terminating end than the wiping portion. This weak portion is designed to break under tensile load before the wiping portion, providing a preliminary failure point that prevents the take-up roller from rotating without a wiping member, thus ensuring wiping reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The weak portion acts as an intermediary element between the wiping portion and the terminating end. It serves as a mediator that breaks first under load, providing a clear signal for wiping member exhaustion and preventing incorrect operation of the take-up roller, thereby improving both reliability and measurement precision
2Duration of action of moving object
If the long wiping member is wound on the core from the terminating end, then the wiping member can be continuously used, but it is difficult to determine when the wiping member is exhausted
Solution Approach 1:
The weak portion can be designed with different visual characteristics (such as color differences or visual markers) that become apparent when it breaks. This allows the system to clearly indicate wiping member exhaustion through visual detection, improving measurement precision without affecting the continuous duration of action
Solution Approach 2:
The weak portion is preliminarily positioned and designed to break at a specific point, providing a clear endpoint signal. This preliminary design enables accurate detection of wiping member exhaustion, allowing the system to know precisely when replacement is needed
3Ease of manufacture
If the weak portion breaks first under tensile load, then the wiping member separates cleanly, but this requires precise control of the weak portion strength
Solution Approach 1:
The weak portion is designed with locally different properties from the rest of the wiping member. By concentrating the weakness in a specific localized area rather than throughout the entire wiping member, it becomes easier to manufacture with controlled strength characteristics, as the modification is localized and can be achieved through simple methods such as partial removal of material or application of a weaker adhesive layer
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
Ensures the liquid ejecting head is reliably wiped and allows for precise determination of the wiping member's exhaustion, enabling timely replacement and maintaining printing quality.
Implementation Method 1
a wiping portion that is subjected to a tensile load at a position between the starting end and the terminating end
Data Source
AI summary
A roll wiping member unit includes a long wiping member and a core. The long wiping member has a starting end and a terminating end at ends in a longitudinal direction and a wiping portion that is subjected to a tensile load at a position between the starting end and the terminating end. The long wiping member is configured to wipe a liquid ejecting head at the wiping portion. The long wiping member is wound on the core from the terminating end in a roll. The long wiping member has a weak portion having strength that does not withstand the tensile load at a position closer than the wiping portion to the terminating end.