Sheet Drying with Segmented Infrared Reflectors for Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet drying apparatuses face challenges in achieving uniform drying and efficient removal of moisture from ink on sheets, leading to uneven drying properties and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A sheet drying apparatus with a heating unit comprising infrared heaters and reflectors, where each heater is surrounded by an individual reflector, and a hot air fan that blows heated air through the gaps between the reflectors to uniformly distribute hot air and remove steam, combined with adjustable reflector intervals and tilts based on print ratio to enhance drying efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional heating arrangement is used, then the structure is simple, but the drying uniformity is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The heating unit is divided into multiple independent infrared heaters arranged side by side, with each heater surrounded by its own reflector. This segmentation allows each heater to be optimized independently and ensures uniform heat distribution across the sheet width, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and drying uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
Reflectors are introduced as intermediary elements between the infrared heaters and the sheet. These reflectors redirect and distribute the infrared radiation more uniformly across the sheet surface, improving drying uniformity without requiring complex heating geometries.
2Productivity
If more infrared heaters are added to improve drying performance, then the drying efficiency improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple infrared heaters and their corresponding reflectors are merged into a single integrated heating unit assembly. This combining approach maintains high drying efficiency through multiple heat sources while presenting a unified, manageable structure that reduces overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The reflectors serve multiple functions: they redirect infrared radiation from each heater, distribute heat uniformly across the sheet, and help contain the thermal field within the drying chamber. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components.
3Area of stationary object
If the heating unit is made larger to cover more area, then the drying coverage improves, but the apparatus size increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of expanding the heating unit in a single dimension, the design uses multiple heaters arranged side by side in the width direction, creating a distributed heating pattern. This dimensional arrangement achieves broad coverage without proportionally increasing the overall apparatus volume.
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 apparatus achieves uniform drying properties and efficient moisture removal, maintaining drying performance even with varying ink amounts, while ensuring a compact and safe design.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of infrared heaters that extend in the width direction horizontally orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the sheet and that are arranged side by side along the conveyance direction
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of reflectors that surround the infrared heaters from a direction opposite to the conveyance portion
Implementation Method 3
The hot air fan is arranged opposite the conveyance portion across the heating unit, and blows toward the conveyance portion hot air heated as a result of air passing through the interval between the reflectors
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet drying apparatus includes a conveyance portion and a drying portion. The conveyance portion conveys a sheet on which an image is formed with ink containing moisture. The drying portion is arranged opposite the conveyance portion and heats and dries the sheet. The drying portion includes a heating unit having a plurality of infrared heaters extending in the width direction horizontally orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the sheet and arranged side by side along the conveyance direction and a plurality of reflectors that surround the infrared heaters from a direction opposite to the conveyance portion, and a hot air fan arranged opposite the conveyance portion across the heating unit and blowing toward the conveyance portion hot air heated as a result of air passing through the interval between the reflectors. As many reflectors as the infrared heaters are arranged such that each reflector surrounds one infrared heater individually.