Roller-Defined Fire Enclosure Openings for Print Media Dryers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dryers in continuous-forms printing systems face issues with fire safety due to the risk of overheating and the deflection of print media, which can lead to reduced print quality and fire escape risks, as well as 'flapping' and 'cockling' of the web.

Innovation Solution

The use of rollers to define the borders of fire enclosure openings in dryers, which aligns the web and minimizes deflection, combined with strategically sized gaps to prevent fire escape and maintain print quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If narrow fire enclosure openings are used to prevent fire escape, then fire safety is improved, but web deflection into the opening increases causing print quality degradation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire safetyVSAvoidprint quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A roller is introduced as an intermediary element between the web and the fire enclosure opening. The roller supports the web and prevents it from deflecting into the narrow opening, thereby resolving the conflict between maintaining narrow openings for fire safety and preventing web deflection that would degrade print quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If high heat is applied to dry the web quickly, then drying speed is improved, but fire risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying speedVSAvoidfire risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The narrow fire enclosure openings, which restrict oxygen flow to prevent fire escape, are utilized to inherently reduce fire risk while allowing high heat application for fast drying. The restricted oxygen environment converts the potential harm of high heat into a safer drying process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Stability of the object's composition

If web tension is increased to reduce deflection, then web stability is improved, but web deformation due to moisture increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweb stabilityVSAvoidweb deformation

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The roller acts as a mediator that provides continuous support to the web throughout its passage through the fire enclosure opening. This distributed support allows the web to maintain stability without requiring excessive tension, thereby preventing moisture-induced deformation while still preventing deflection into the opening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 solution enhances fire safety by preventing fire escape while reducing web deflection and maintaining print quality by ensuring minimal oxygen transfer and aligning the web to prevent smearing of marking material.

Implementation Method 1

a heating element that is operable supply heat to the interior

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

a roller proximate to the opening that aligns the web as the web travels within the interior. When the web travels within the fire enclosure opening, the web is held to the roller and therefore unlikely to experience any substantial deflection or wrinkling

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical support and constraint:

Data Source

PatentUS20140092184A1Dryers that use rollers to define fire enclosure openings

Publication Date: 2014.04.03 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided for drying print media. The system comprises a dryer comprising an enclosure and a roller. The roller is proximate to an opening into the enclosure. A perimeter of the roller covers a portion of the opening, and an uncovered portion of the opening comprises a gap for a web of print media. The gap has a size defined on one side by the perimeter of the roller and on another side by a surface of the opening.